LIBRARY 

OF    THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


CONSTRUCTIVE  BIBLE  STUDIES 


EDITED  BY 

WILLIAM  R.  HARPER  AND  ERNEST  D.  BURTON 


STUDIES  IN  THE  GOSPEL 
ACCORDING  TO  MARK 


ERNEST  DE  WITT  BURTON 


Copyright  by  The  Bible  Study  Publishing  Co. 


^i  lo}e.    /VT.  rt^k  ^Ew^d.L. 


Studies  in  the  Gospel 
According  to  Mark 


FOR  THE  USE  OF  CLASSES  IN  SECOND- 
ARY SCHOOLS  AND  IN  THE  SECONDARY 
DIVISION    OF    THE    SUNDAY    SCHOOL 


BY 

ERNEST  DEWITT  BURTON 

PEOFESSOE  IN  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO 


* 


Constructive   Bible   Studies 
secondary  series 


^  OF  THE 

V 


I'N/VERS/TY 


or 


TY  j 


CHICAGO 

THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO  PRESS 
1904 


Copyright  1904 
The  University  of  Chicago 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  p^^E 

A  Foreword  to  the  Pupil          -        -        -        -        -  xiii 

Preface:  To  the  Teacher xvii 

The  Title  of  the  Gospel    ------  1 

Section        I.    The  Preaching  of  John  the  Baptist, 

1:1-8    -------  3 

Section      II.    The  Baptism  of  Jesus,  1:Q-11     -        -  7 

Section    III.    The  Temptation  in  the  Wilderness, 

1:12,13         ------  9 

Section     IV.    Jesus  Begins  Preaching  in  Galilee, 

1:14,15         -        -        -        -        -        -  11 

Section       V.    The   Call    of  the   Four  Fishermen, 

1:16-20         ------  13 

Section     VI.    A  Sabbath  in  Capernaum,  1:21-34    -  15 

Section  VII.    A  Preaching  Tour  in  Galilee,  1:35-45  19 

Section  VIII.    A  Paralytic  Healed  2:1-12         -        -  23 

Section     IX.    The  Call  of  Levi,  2:13-17    '      -        -  27 

Section       X.    Jesus'  Answer  to  a  Question    con- 
cerning Fasting,  2:18-22     -        -        -  29 

Section     XI.    Plucking    Grain    on    the    Sabbath, 

2:23-28         -        -        .                 -        -  32 

Section  XII.    A  Withered  Hand   Healed  on   the 

Sabbath,  3:1-6    -----  35 

Section  XIII.    The    Widespread    Fame    of    Jesus, 

3:7-12           -        -        -        -        -        -  38 

Section  XIV.    The  Choosing  of  the  Twelve,  3: 13-19  40 

Section    XV.    Concerning  Eternal  Sin,  3:20-30       -  42 

Section  XVI.    Natural    and     Spiritual     Kinsmen, 

3:31-35          ------  45 

vii 


127fif)5 


viii    Studies  in  the  Gospel  of  Maek 
Section        XVII. 


Section  XVIII. 

Section  XIX. 

Section  XX. 

Section  XXI. 

Section  XXII. 

Section  XXIII. 

Section  XXIV. 

Section  XXV. 

Section  XXVI. 

Section  XXVII. 

Section  XXVIII. 

Section  XXIX. 

Section  XXX. 

Section  XXXI. 

Section  XXXII. 

Section  XXXI : I. 

Section  XXXIV. 

Section  XXXV. 


The  Parables  of  the  Kingdom's 
Growth,  4:1-34    -        -        -        - 

Stilling  of  the  Tempest,  4:35-41 

The  Gerasene  Demoniac,  5:1-20 

Jairus's    Daughter    Raised    to 
Life,  5:21-43        -        .        -        . 

The  Rejection  at  Nazareth,  6: 1-6 

The  Sending  out  of  the  Twelve, 
6:7-29-        -        -        -        -        . 

The  Feeding  of  the  Five  Thou- 
sand, 6:30-46       -        -        -         . 

Jesus    Walking    on    the    Sea, 
6:47-52         .        -        -        .        . 


Many  Healed  in  Galilee,  6:53-56 

On    Eating   with    Unwashen 
Hands,  7:1-23      -        -        ^        - 

The   Syro-Phoenician   Woman's 
Daughter,  7:24-30       - 

The    Deaf    and    Dumb    Man 
Healed,  7:31-37 

The  Feeding  of  the  Four  Thou- 
sand, 8:1-10         -        .        .        - 

Pharisees    Demanding    a    Sign 
from  Heaven,  8:11-21 

A  Blind  Man  Healed  near  Beth- 
saida,  8:22-26      .        -        -        - 

Peter's    Confession   of  Jesus' 
Messiahship,  8:27-30 

Jesus'  Prediction  of  his  Death 
and  Resurrection,  8:31—9:1 

The  Transfiguration,  9:2-13       - 

The   Demoniac    Eoy   Healed, 
9:14-29         -        -         .        -        - 


47 
00 
02 

67 

72 

75 

81 

85 

87 

89 
96 


101 

103 

106 

108 

111 
117 

120 


Tab 

Section 

XXXVI. 

Section 

XXXVII. 

Section  I 

KXXVIII. 

Section 

XXXIX. 

Section 

XL. 

Section 

XLI. 

Section 

XLII. 

Section 

XLIII. 

Section 

XLIV. 

Section 

XLV. 

Section 

XL  VI. 

Section 

XLVII. 

Section 

XLVIII. 

Section 

XLIX. 

Section 

L. 

Section 

LI. 

Section 

LII. 

LE  OF  Contents  ix 

Jesus  again  Foretells  his 
Death  and  Resurrection,  9:30- 
32        ------      123 

The  Ambition  and  Jealousy  of 

the  Disciples  Reproved,  9:  a3-50      124 

Departure  from  Galilee  10:1    -      132 

Concerning  Divorce,  10: 2-12    -      laS 

Blessing  Little  Children,  10: 13- 

16        ------      136 

The  Rich  Young  Man,  10: 17-31       138 

Jesus'  Announcement  of  his 
Crucifixion,  10: 32-31         -        -       143 

The  Ambition  of  James  and 
John  Reproved,  10:35-45-        -      145 

The  Blind  Man  near  Jericho 
Healed,  10:46-52        -        -  ,      -      148 

The  Triumphal  Entry,  11:1-11      150 

The  Cursing  of  the  Fig  Tree, 
11:12-14     -----      154 

The  Cleansing  of  the  Temple, 
11:15-19     -----       156 

Comment  on  the  Withered  Fig 
Tree,  11:20-25    -        -        -        -      159 

Christ's  Authority  Challenged, 
11:27-33     -        -        -        -        -       161 

The  Parable  of  the  Vineyard, 
12:1-12        -----      163 

Three  Questions  by  the  Jewish 
Rulers,  12:13-34         ■        -        -      166 

Jesus'  Question  concerning 
David's  Son,  12:35-37        -        -      174 


Studies  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark 


Section 

Section 
Section 

Section 
Section 

Section 
Section 

Section 

Section 

Section 
Section 

Section 
Section 
Section 


LIII. 


Warning    against    the     Scribes, 
12:38-40         -        -        .        _        . 


LIV.    The  Widow's  Two  Mites,  12: 41-44 

LV.  The  Prophetic  Discourse  con- 
cerning the  Downfall  of  the  Tem- 
ple and  the  City,  chap.  13    - 

LVI.    The  Plot  of  the  Jews,  14 : 1,  2 

LVII.    The  Anointing  in  the  House  of 
Simon  the  Leper,  14:3-9 


LVIII. 
LIX. 

LX. 

LXI. 

LXII. 
LXIII. 

LXIV. 

LXV. 

LXVI. 


The  Bargain  with  Judas,  14: 10, 11 

The  Last  Passover  of  Jesus  and 
his  Disciples,  14: 12-26 

Prediction  of  Peter's    Denial, 
14:27-31         -        -        .        -        - 


Section    LXVII. 
Section  LXVIIL 


The  Agony  in  Gethsemane,  14: 
32-42      

The  Betrayal  and  Arrest,  14:43-52 

The    Trial     before     the    Jewish 
Authorities,  14:53-65    - 

The  Denials  of  Peter,  14 :  66-72    - 

The  Trial  before  Pilate,  15:1-20  - 

The  Crucifixion  and  the   Death 
of  Jesus,  15:21-41 

The  Burial,  15:42-47     - 

The  Resurrection  of  Jesus,  16: 1-8 


Section 


LXIX.    Appendix  :   Summary  of  the  Ap- 
pearances of  Jesus,  16:9-20 


176 
177 

179 
187 

188 
190 

191 

195 

196 
200 

202 
206 

208 

213 
217 
220 

222 
225 


Review  Questions  on  the  Whole  Gospel    - 

Analysis  op  the  Gospel      ------      231 

Dictionary  of  Words  Used  in  the  Gospel         -        -      235 


TABLE  OF  MAPS 

Map  of  Palestine Frontispiece 

Map  op  the  Sea  op  Galilee  -  -  -  opposite  60 
Map  op  Jerusalem  and  the  Roads  to  Bethany  -  151 
Plan  of  the  Temple   -------      157 


'      ^  or  THE  \ 


v: 


A  FOREWORD  TO  THE  PUPIL 

This  little  book  has  been  prepared  and  pub- 
lished with  a  twofold  purpose:  first,  to  help  you, 
through  the  study  of  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  to  ac- 
quire a  knowledge  of  the  life  of  Jesus  and  to  come 
into  sympathetic  acquaintance  with  him ;  and, 
secondly,  to  help  you  to  form  the  habit  of  coming 
to  all  the  books  of  the  Bible  with  the  question: 
What  does  it  mean  ?  These  two  purposes  will  not 
at  all  conflict  with  one  another,  but  each  will  help 
to  fulfil  the  other.  Every  book  is  the  expression 
of  the  thought  of  some  person  or  persons.  That 
thought  is  the  meaning  of  the  book.  If  that 
meaning  is  good  and  valuable,  the  book  is  good 
and  valuable.  If  we  are  to  get  from  the  book 
that  in  it  which  is  good  and  valuable,  we  must  find 
out  its  meaning.  Having  found  this  meaning  we 
must,  if  we  would  gain  the  largest  good  from  the 
book,  lodge  it  in  our  minds,  make  it  our  own,  that 
when  we  find  ourselves  in  those  circumstances  to 
which  this  truth  is  applicable,  it  may  be  at  hand, 
a  guiding  influence  to  shape  our  conduct  and  mold 
our  lives. 

How  to  find  the  meaning  of  the  Gospel  of 
Mark,  section  by  section,  and  finally  as  a  whole, 
this  book  will  try  to  show  you.  But  one  or  two 
things  may  well  be  emphasized  at  the  outset. 


xiv     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

First,  begin  your  study  of  each  section — the 
teacher  will  indicate  how  many  sections  are  to  be 
studied  for  a  given  lesson — by  reading  the  Scrip- 
ture text  of  the  section  through  attentively,  mak- 
ing it  your  aim  to  discover  as  fully  as  possible  the 
thought  of  the  writer,  or  of  the  speaker  whose 
words  he  records.  Attentive  reading  will  give  you 
much  of  the  thought  of  the  passage. 

Secondly,  if  there  are  in  the  section  any  words 
or  phrases  the  meaning  of  which  you  do  not  know, 
or  the  reference  of  which  you  do  not  understand, 
look  up  these  words  or  phrases  in  the  Dictionary 
at  the  end  of  the  volume.  Then  read  the  section 
again  to  see  if,  with  the  meaning  and  reference  of 
these  words  in  mind,  the  meaning  of  the  passage 
is  clear  to  you. 

Thirdly,  if  the  meaning  is  still  not  wholly  clear 
to  you,  try  to  frame  a  definite  question  which  will 
express  what  you  need  to  know  in  order  to  grasp 
the  whole  meaning  of  the  passage,  and  then  look 
through  the  Explanatory  Notes  on  the  section, 
and  see  if  these  notes  will  furnish  you  the  needed 
information.  If  you  still  lack  something  of  a  clear 
understanding  of  the  passage,  write  down  your 
question  and  refer  it  to  your  teacher,  or  some 
other  person  who  is  competent  to  answer  it. 

Fourthly,  with  these  questions  answered  as 
fully  as  you  can  answer  them  before  going  to  the 
class^  read  the  passage  attentively  again,  storing 


A  Foreword  to  the  Pupil  xv 

its  words  and  meaning  in  yonr  memory,  and  think- 
ing them  over,  so  that  you  may  gain  from  them 
whatever  of  helpfulness  and  suggestiveness  they 
may  have  for  you. 

Fifthly,  turn  to  the  questions  and  answer  them 
one  by  one,  writing  out  the  answers  to  those  that 
are  marked  with  *.  Always  use  paper  of  the 
same  size  for  these  answers ;  write  at  the  head  of 
the  sheet  the  number  of  the  section  and  the  Scrip- 
ture reference  as  given  in  the  book,  the  date  of  the 
Sunday  when  you  are  to  hand  in  the  paper,  and 
your  name.  These  papers  are  to  be  handed  to  the 
teacher,  who  will  correct  them  and  return  them  to 
you  the  following  Sunday.  When  you  receive 
them  back,  look  carefully  over  the  corrections,  and 
then' put  the  papers  away  in  a  safe  place.  A  large 
envelope  properly  labeled  will  be  useful  for  pre- 
S3rving  them.  Or  you  may  copy  them,  incorpo- 
rating the  corrections,  in  a  blank  book,  placing  the 
section  number  and  the  Scripture  reference  at  the 
top  of  each  group  of  answers.  Give  special  atten- 
tion to  the  review  questions,  that  you  may  bind 
together  the  results  of  your  study  of  the  separate. 
sections,  and  so  at  the  end  of  your  work  have  a 
good  understanding  of  the  book  as  a  whole. 

It  is  my  earnest  hope,  as  I  am  sure  it  will  be 
that  of  your  teacher,  that  the  pupils  who  use 
this  book  will  grasp  by  diligent  study  the 
thought  of  the  Gospel,  and  by  keeping    toward 


xvi     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

all  that  they  thus  learn  an  open  and  sensitive  mind 
will  acquire  a  good  knowledge  of  the  life  of  Jesus, 
a  true  acquaintance  with  him,  and  a  sincere  love 
for  him. 


PKEFACE 
TO  THE  TEACHER 

Several  years  ago,  being  unable  to  find  for  a 
class  of  pupils  in  a  Sunday  school  of  whose 
instruction  I  had  the  general  oversight  precisely 
the  kind  of  lessons  which  both  the  teacher  of  the 
class  and  I  myself  felt  they  ought  to  have,  I  under- 
took to  prepare  lessons  for  them  week  by  week  on 
the  Gospel  of  Mark.  Subsequently  the  same 
lessons  were  used  in  another  class,  and  both 
teachers  gave  me  the  benefit  of  their  criticisms. 
The  work  of  revising  the  lessons  thus  prepared, 
completing  them,  and  preparing  them  for  the 
press  has  been  carried  forward,  chiefly  in  the 
interstices  of  severer  labor,  for  several  years,  and 
they  are  now  published  in  the  hope  that  they  may  fill 
a  place  of  usefulness  in  the  teaching  of  the  Bible. 

The  editors  of  the  series  in  which  this  volume 
appears  hold  the  firm  conviction  that  the  Sunday 
school  should  have  a  curriculum  of  study,  based 
on  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Bible  and  intelligent 
understanding  of  the  principles  of  teaching.  Such 
a  curriculum  will,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  be 
graded  both  with  respect  to  the  Scripture  material 
employed  in  its  successive  years  and  in  respect  to 
the  method  of  using  this  material.  The  Epistle 
to  the  Ephesians  cannot  profitably  be  employed  in 
xvii 


xviii   The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

teaching  children  six  or  seven  years  old,  nor  are 
children  of  that  age  ready  for  broad  historical 
generalizations. 

Though  well  aware  that  experience  is  likely  to 
call  for  modification  of  any  curriculum  that,  with 
the  limited  experiments  that  have  yet  been  made 
in  Sunday-school  teaching  under  a  graded  curricu- 
lum, can  now  be  framed,  the  plan  which  has 
most  commended  itself  to  the  editors  of  this  series, 
as  a  working  scheme  on  which  to  undertake  the 
preparation  of  the  text- books  for  such  a  curricu- 
lum, is  the  following: 

I.       THE    ELEMENTARY    DIVISION 

The  Kindergarten. —  Elementary  moral  and  reli- 
gious truths  conveyed  through  the  medium  of  the  simple 
story,  and  made  real  to  the  child  by  his  having  imme- 
diate opportunity  to  express  in  play  or  picture-work  his 
idea  of  the  truths  presented  to  him. 

Grades  1-3. —  Stories  and  verses  from  the  Bible, 
with  free  use  of  pictures  for  purposes  of  illustration. 

Grade  4. — The  books  of  the  Bible:  an  elementary 
course  in  Biblical  Introduction  intended  to  give  the 
pupils  a  true  conception  of  the  Bible  as  a  collection  of 
religious  books  of  varied  literary  form  and  specific  pur- 
pose, including  reading  of  appointed  portions  and  the 
memorizing  of  selected  passages.  Such  a  course  should, 
availing  itself  of  the  narrative  character  of  much  of  the 
Biblical  literature,  and  of  the  historical  setting  of  that 
which  is  not  narrative  in  character,  cast  its  instruction 
very  largely  in  story-form,  and  so  adapt  it  to  the  stage 


Preface:  To  the  Teacher  xix 

of  intellectual  development  which  the  pupils  for  which 
it  is  intended  have  reached. 

Grades    5-1. — Biblical    biography,  including    the 
lives  of  Old  Testament  heroes,  of  Jesus,  and  of  the 


II.     the  secondary  division 

Grades  8-10. —  Studies  of  separate  books  of  the 
Bible ;  e.  g.,  the  Gospel  of  Mark  and  the  Epistle  to  the 
Philippians ;  the  first  book  of  Samuel,  and  one  or  more 
of  the  Minor  Prophets. 

Grades  11-14. — Biblical  history,  including  both 
events  and  teaching :  a  year  and  a  half  on  Old  Testa- 
ment history,  a  year  and  a  half  on  the  life  of  Christ, 
and  a  year  on  the  apostolic  age. 

III.    THE    ADULT    DIVISION 

Elective  courses. 

The  present  book  falls  under  Division  II.  It 
is  intended  for  classes  of  the  eighth  to  tenth 
grades,  and  for  pupils  of  a  similar  degree  of  ad- 
vancement in  academies  and  other  schools  in 
which  instruction  in  the  Bible  is  given,  or  in  the 
home.  In  the  preceding  stages  of  the  curricu- 
lum, as  marked  out  above,  the  unit  of  instruction, 
so  to  speak,  is  at  first  the  story,  lodged  in  the 
child's  quick  and  retentive  memory,  and  made  the 
vehicle  of  religious  instruction.  Thus  far  he  knows 
the  Bible  only  in  detached  fragments,  and  his 
horizon  is  in  each  case  limited  to  the  single  nar- 


XX        The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

rative.  Next  he  is  given  (in  the  fourth  grade)  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  whole  Bible,  and  gains 
some  impression  of  the  richness  and  variety  of  its 
contents.  Then  the  life-story  of  an  individual  is 
made  the  unit  of  study,  and  for  a  period  of  three 
years,  in  a  series  of  simple  biographical  studies, 
the  pupil  makes  the  acquaintance  of  the  great 
men  of  the  Bible.  He  is  presently  to  pass  to  a 
constructive  study  of  Biblical  History  in  its  suc- 
cessive periods,  in  which  the  books  of  the  Bible 
are  to  be  the  sources  for  such  constructive  histori- 
cal work.  As  the  stepping-stone  to  this  historical 
study  in  which  the  pupil  shall  build  up  the  great 
history  of  divine  revelation  through  prophets, 
Christ,  and  apostles,  this  book,  and  pthers  of  a 
similar  kind  which  it  is  hoped  will  follow  it,  take 
each  a  single  book  of  the  Bible  as  the  unit,  and 
seek  to  find  out  its  meaning. 

Two  specific  purposes  have  been  kept  con- 
stantly in  mind  in  the  preparation  of  this  volume. 
From  the  intellectual  point  of  view,  the  aim  has 
been  to  train  the  pupils  in  the  proper  way  of  ap- 
proaching and  using  a  book  of  the  Bible;  in 
short,  to  teach  them  in  a  simple  and  practical  way 
the  art  of  interpretation  as  applied  to  such  books 
as  those  of  the  Bible.  By  no  means  losing  sight 
of  the  religious  aim  which  must  pervade  all  Bible 
study  in  the  Sunday  school,  I  have  endeavored  to 
promote  the  achievement  of  that  end  by  joining 


Preface:  To  the  Teacher  xxi 

with  it  in  this  particular  book  the  intellectual 
purpose  to  illustrate,  and  by  illustrating  to  teach, 
the  art  of  interpretation.  The  importance  of  this 
has  been,  in  my  judgment,  too  little  recognized 
in  Sunday-school  work.  Rightly  emphasizing  the 
importance  of  making  moral  and  religious  impres- 
sions, yet  impatient  to  make  such  impressions  at 
once,  we  have  overlooked  the  fact  that  it  is  pre- 
cisely the  facts  and  truths  of  the  Scripture  by 
which  these  impressions  are  to  be  made,  and  that 
these  facts  and  truths  are  reached  only  by  inter- 
pretation. For  interpretation  is  simply  the  process 
of  discovering  the  meaning  of  things ;  as  applied 
to  a  book,  the  discovery  of  the  thought  of  the 
writer  of  that  book.  The  conviction  that  to  help 
the  pupils  in  our  Sunday  schools  to  acquire  the 
interpretative  attitude  toward  the  books  of  the 
Bible  would  be  to  render  to  them  a  most  valuable 
service,  has  controlled  my  work  from  beginning 
to  end. 

But  the  book  has  a  specific  religious  purpose 
also,  not  divorced  from  its  intellectual  aim,  but 
inseparably  associated  with  it.  For  in  the  very 
process  of  learning  to  interpret  the  Gospel  of 
Mark  the  pupils  will  at  the  same  time  acquire  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  one  of  those  books  which 
tell  the  storj_of_th^  b'fA  and  wnrk  nf  Jf^pmi  on 
earth.  And  than  this  there  is,  in  the  hands  of 
an  intelligent  and  spiritually  sympathetic  teacher, 


xxii     The  Gospel  aooording  to  Mark 

no  more  effective  means  of  bringing  the  pupil 
into  real  acquaintance  with  Jesus  and  leading 
him  to  become  a  true  disciple  of  Jesus.  Pupils 
of  the  age  for  which  this  book  is  intended  are 
precisely  at  that  stage  of  development  in  which 
biography — the  life  of  the  individual— makes  its 
appeal  to'them.  And  of  all  biographies  there  is 
none  more  calculated  to  lead  one  to  enter  upon  a 
true  religious  life  than  that  of  Jesus.  The  com- 
parison of  the  different  gospels,  and  the  construc- 
tion from  them  as  sources  of  a  connected  life  of 
Jesus,  related,  on  the  one  hand,  to  the  history  of 
the  Jews  and  of  Old  Testament  revelation,  and 
constituting,  on  the  other  hand,  the  first  chapter 
in  the  history  of  Christianity,  is  a  task  for  some- 
what more  mature  minds.  But  the  study  of  the 
life  of  Jesus — his  deeds,  his  words,  his  character, 
as  they  appear  in  the  simplest  oF  the  gospels — 
is  precisely  adapted  to  meet  the  needs^f  boys  and 
girls  from  twelve  to  fifteen  jears^_age,  and  to 
exert  upon  them  the  religious  influence  most  cal- 
culated to  lead  them  into  a  genuinely  Christian 
life. 

The  Questions,  though  the  last  portion  of  the 
material  under  each  section  to  be  used  in  the  study 
of  that  section,  are,  after  the  text  of  the  Gospel 
itself,  the  center  of  the  book.  Though  no  classi- 
fication of  them  has  been  introduced,  both  because 
I  wished  to  make  the  structure  of  the  book  as 


Preface:  To  the  Teacher         xxiii 

simple  as  possible,  and  because  the  classification 
would  be  of  no  special  benefit  to  the  pupil,  they 
fall  in  my  own  mind  into  three  classes — questions 
of  attention,  questions  of  investigation,  questions 
of  refiection  and  application. 

Much  of  the  meaning  which  it  is  the  business 
of  interpretation  to  find  can  be  gained  even  by 
young  pupils  simply  by  giving  attention  to  what 
stands  written  on  the  page.  And  the  teacher  who 
seeks  to  teach  interpretatively  must  ask  many 
questions  which  the  pupil  can  answer  by  simply 
giving  attention  to  the  text  before  him. 

But  not  all  the  meaning  of  a  book  will  for  every 
reader  yield  itself  to  mere  attention.  To  attention 
must  be  added  investigation.  Many  questions  are 
asked  in  this  book  which  a  pupil  twelve  years  of 
age  cannot  answer  by  looking  at  the  text,  however 
attentively.  The  Gospel  of  Mark  does  not  tell 
where  all  the  cities  which  it  mentions  are  located, 
nor  give  the  meaning  of  all  the  words  that  it  uses, 
such  as  "forgiveness,"  "life,"  "Pharisees."  How 
is  the  pupil  to  obtain  the  answers  to  these  ques- 
tions ?  In  so  far  as  they  pertain  to  the  meanings 
of  words,  a  dictionary  of  the  proper  sort  will 
furnish  the  answer.  And  just  because,  on  the  one 
hand,  searching  for  these  w^ords  in  a  dictionary 
slowly  lodges  in  the  pupil's  mind  the  thought  that 
he  is  looking  for  meanings^  and,  on  the  other,  most 
pupils  of  the  Sunday  school  do  not  possess  the 


xxiv     The  Gospel  accoeding  to  Mark 

kind  of  a  dictionary  which  is  needed  for  the  study 
of  this  Gospel,  this  book  contains  a  Dictionary, 
which  undertakes  briefly  to  define  or  explain  those 
words  of  the  Gospel  which  it  may  be  supposed  the 
pupil  may  not  understand  without  such  help.  To 
direct  the  pupil's  attention  to  the  Dictionary  and 
to  cultivate  the  habit  of  using  it,  the  words  defined 
or  explained  are  marked  where  they  occur  in  the 
notes  or  questions  with  a  f.  The  teacher  is  urged 
to  insist  upon  the  pupil  looking  up  all  such  words 
in  the  Dictionary  and  fixing  in  mind  the  meaning 
of  such  words  as  are  there  defined,  and  the  main 
facts  about  the  persons  and  places  there  described. 
Indeed,  the  teacher  should  do  what  the  book 
cannot  well  do — teach  the  pupil  to  form  the  habit 
of  referring  to  the  Dictionary  to  define  or  explain 
all  words  of  which,  on  his  first  attentive  reading  of 
the  text,  he  finds  that  he  does  not  know  the 
meaning  or  reference. 

But  not  all  the  information  which  a  young 
student  needs  consists  in  definitions  of  words  or 
facts  concerning  persons  or  places  mentioned  in 
the  Gospel.  The  necessary  further  information  I 
have  endeavored  to  supply  in  the  Explanatory 
Notes.  The  pupil  should  be  taught  not  to  make 
these  his  first  resource  for  the  discovering  of  the 
meaning  of  the  passage,  but  to  turn  to  them  only 
when  neither  his  own  powers  of  attention  nor  the 
help  of  the  Dictionary  give  him  the  key  to  the 


Preface:  To  the  Teacher         xxv 

meaning  of  the  passage  under  study.  Used  in 
this  way  they  will  also  serve  the  purpose  of  sug- 
gesting to  him  matters  that  he  may  have  so 
entirely  overlooked  as  not  even  to  have  raised  a 
question  concerning  them.  Above  all,  let  not  the 
teacher  fall  into  the  mistake,  or  allow  the  pupil  to 
commit  the  error,  of  thinking  that  the  study  of 
the  Explanatory  Notes  is  the  study  of  the  Gospel. 
It  is  the  meaning  of  the  Gospel,  the  thought  of 
the  writer,  that  is  to  be  sought.  The  Notes  are 
merely  a  last  resource  to  assist  in  the  achievement 
of  this  end. 

But  not  even  thus  is  our  whole  purpose  in 
studying  the  Gospel  attained.  Were  it  so,  ques- 
tions of  attention  and  investigation  would  be  the 
only  ones  called  for.  But  that  the  results  of 
interpretation  may  really  be  appropriated  by  the 
student,  made  a  part  of  his  mental  possession 
valuable  for  his  moral  development,  he  needs  to 
reflect  upon  the  facts  and  truths  which  interpreta- 
tion gives  him,  and  to  consider  how  these  truths 
concern  him.  And  so  there  have  been  included, 
though  without  any  special  label,  questions  in- 
tended to  lead  to  such  reflection  and  to  suggest 
such  applications. 

The  Review  Questions  do  not  differ  materially 
in  aim  from  those  which  pertain  to  the  separate 
sections;  they  simply  deal  with  the  Gospel  in 
larger  portions  and  finally  with  the  whole  book. 


xxvi     The  Gospel  accoeding  to  Mark 

For  true  interpretation  does  not  leave  the  book  as 
a  series  of  detached  pieces,  but,  while  breaking  it 
into  parts  for  study,  seeks  to  bind  them  all 
together  again  into  the  unity  which  the  book  con- 
stituted in  the  mind  of  the  author. 

The  Foreword  to  the  pupil  suggests  how  he 
should  prepare  his  lesson.  The  teacher  may 
profitably  follow  substantially  the  same  method 
in  the  preparation  of  the  weekly  or  daily  lesson. 
He  will  do  well,  however,  to  prepare  himself  for 
the  work  as  a  whole  by  making  himself  familiar 
with  the  history  of  the  Jewish  people  in  the  days 
of  Jesus,  that  he  may  read  the  Gospel  against  the 
background  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived,  and  to 
gain  a  larger  knowlege  of  the  Gospel  of  Mark 
than  can  be  had  by  preparing  the  lesson  week  by 
week  or  day  by  day.  For  the  former  purpose 
he  will  find  Seidel,  In  the  Time  of  Jesus^  or 
Mathews,  History  of  New  Testament  Times,  use- 
ful helps.  One  or  both  should,  if  possible,  be 
read  through  before  beginning  to  teach  the  pre- 
sent book.  To  gain  the  needful  acquaintance  with 
the  Gospel,  it  should  be  read  through  repeatedly 
before  beginning  to  teach  it.  Further  help  in 
the  direction  may  also  be  gained  by  reading  an 
"Introduction"  to  the  Gospel,  such  as  may  be 
found  in  JBukton,  A  Short  Introduction  to  the 
Gospels,  or  the  appropriate  chapters  in  Luckock, 
Special  Characteristics  of  the  Four  Gospels. 


Preface:  To  the  Teacher         xxvii 

It  scarcely  needs  to  be  said,  but  it  is  of  the  high- 
est importance  for  the  teacher  to  remember,  that 
to  his  study  of  the  Scripture,  he  should  add  sym- 
pathetic study  of  his  pupils  and  a  thoughtful  con- 
sideration of  the  question  how  he  can  so  bring 
the  thought  of  the  Gospel  before  his  pupils  that 
it  shall  help  them  to  understand  the  life  and 
teachings  of  Jesus  and  lead  them  to  love  and  trust 
him  as  their  Master. 

The  class  exercise  may  consist  in  the  practical 
repetition  of  the  process  of  study,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  writing  of  answers  to  the  Questions,  or 
may  be  devoted  to  reading  the  text,  asking  the 
questions,  and  discussing  the  pupil's  answers. 
The  teacher  who  has  prepared  himself  to  teach 
in  the  spirit  described  above  will,  not  lack  for 
opportunities  to  make  his  teaching  religiously  im- 
pressive. Often  perhaps  he  will  let  the  deed  or 
teaching  of  Jesus  make  its  own  impression,  yet 
he  should  always  be  alert  to  respond  to  the 
pupil's  question  or  suggestion,  and  when  opportu- 
nity favors,  to  deepen  by  a  sympathetic  and  judi- 
cious word  the  effect  of  the  Scripture  on  the  pupil's 
mind.  If  the  pupils  have  difficulty  at  first  in 
grasping  the  method  of  study,  it  would  certainly 
be  wise  to  devote  the  class  hour  for  a  few  Sundays 
to  the  study  of  the  lesson,  pupil  and  teacher  to- 
gether, the  teacher  having  first  made  sure  that  he 
himself  has  learned  the  method. 


xxviii     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

The  pupil's  written  answers  should  be  handed 
to  the  teacher,  who  will  carefully  correct  them  at 
home,  corrections  and  suggestions  being  made  in 
writing,  and  the  papers  returned  to  the  pupil  the 
following  Sunday. 

Of  the  points  already  spoken  of,  three  seem  to 
the  writer  of  sufficient  importance  to  call  for  an 
additional  word  of  emphasis,  and  suggestion  to 
the  teacher.  First,  do  not  let  the  study  of  the 
Notes  displace,  in  the  mind  of  the  pupil  or  in 
practice,  the  study  of  the  Gospel  itself.  Cultivate 
the  habit  of  attentive  reading  of  the  Scripture  as 
the  beginning  and  basis  of  all  the  work  done  on 
the  lesson,  use  the  questions  to  stimulate  attention 
and  start  investigation,  the  Dictionary  and  Notes 
to  furnish  answers  to  the  Questions  which  atten- 
tion alone  cannot  answer.  Secondly,  do  not  lose 
sight  of  the  interpretative  nature  of  your  work. 
Your  ultimate  aim  is  the  moral  and  religious  well- 
being  of  the  pupil;  but  you  are  to  achieve  this  by 
bringing  the  truth  before  his  mind,  and  that  truth 
is  to  be  reached  by  interpretation  of  the  Gospel 
and  to  become  effective  by  reflection.  The  teacher 
need  not,  probably  ought  not  to,  say  much  to  his 
pupil  about  interpretation,  but  he  will  accomplish 
his  best  work  for  the  pupil  if  he  keeps  his  own 
ideals  clearly  before  his  mind,  and  seeks  also  by 
example  more  than  by  precept  slowly  to  train  the 
pupil  to  take  the  interpretative  attitude.    Tiiirdly, 


Preface:  To  the  Teacher  xxix 

do  not  neglect  the  pupil's  written  work.  The 
writing  of  answers  to  a  few  well-selected  questions 
each  week  furnishes  the  pupil  a  definite  task  and 
gives  definiteness  to  the  results  of  his  study.  The 
study  of  the  answers  by  the  teacher  will  help  in 
the  important  task  of  understanding  his  pupil, 
gaining  his  point  of  view,  gauging  his  mental 
progress;  and  judicious  written  criticisms  on  his 
answers  will  stimulate  the  pupil  to  make  constant 
improvement.  It  is  well  to  encourage  the  pupil 
to  hand  in  his  work  on  sheets  of  uniform  size,  and 
to  preserve  the  corrected  papers  with  the  book 
itself;  or,  perhaps  better  still,  to  write  out  the 
answers  after  correction  in  a  book  provided  for 
the  purpose,  and  preserved  with  the  text-book  as 
a  record  of  a  real  piece  of  Bible-study  on  his  part. 
This  will  still  further  cultivate  the  feeling  on  the 
part  of  the  pupil  that  he  is  doing  work  that  is  to 
be  of  permanent  value  to  him,  and  tend  to  make 
it  such. 

The  length  of  the  lesson  to  be  assigned  is  left 
to  each  teacher  to  decide.  The  Gospel  is  divided 
into  such  sections  as  seem  to  represent  the  divi- 
sions which  the  gospel-writer  himself  intended  to 
make.  The  structure  of  the  Gospel  is  indi- 
cated more  completely  in  the  Analysis  printed  on 
pp.  231-34.  Each  teacher  must  decide  each  week 
how  many  sections  his  pupils  can  successfully  study. 

With    the   consent  and  approval  of  the  Uni- 


XXX   The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

versity  Presses  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  pub- 
lishers of  the  Kevised  Version  of  1881,  and  owners 
of  the  copyright  in  the  British  Dominions,  the 
text  of  th^t  version  of  the  gospel  of  Mark  has  been 
employed  in  this  book.  It  is  reprinted  without 
change,  save  that,  the  better  to  adapt  the  book  for 
the  use  of  those  for  whom  it  is  intended,  some  of 
the  more  technical  of  the  marginal  readings  have 
been  omitted,  and  a  few,  of  a  simpler  kind,  added, 
and  that  in  one  or  two  instances  the  division  of 
the  text  into  paragraphs  has  been  modified. 

In  the  earnest  hope  that  this  book  may  contrib- 
ute somewhat  at  the  same  time  to  the  cultivation 
of  the  habit  of  searching  for  and  finding  the 
meaning  of  the  books  of  the  Bible,  to  a  true 
knowledge  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  and  to  a  sincere 
faith  in  him,  this  book  is  offered  to  my  colleagues 
in  the  teaching  of  the  Bible,  especially  in  the 
Sunday  school. 


V0R  ARp 
^   OF  THE 

wN»V£RSlTY 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO   S.  MARK 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

"The  Gospel  according  to  S.  Mark":  These  words  were 
not,  of  course,  written  by  the  author  of  the  book,  and  are 
no  real  part  of  it.  Copyists  who  in  ancient  times  tran- 
scribed the  book,  knowing  that  it  was  commonly  ascribed  to 
Mark,  placed  at  the  top  of  the  page  the  words  "According 
to  Mark,"  and  those  who  in  later  times  copied  the  Gospel 
followed  the  example  of  these  ancient  scribes,  but  some- 
what enlarged  the  ancient  title,  writing  it,  "The  Gospel 
according  to  Mark."  The  form  found  in  the  English 
Revised  Version  (from  which  the  title  at  the  top  of  our  page 
is  taken\  "The  Gospel  according  to  S.  Mark"  (S.  stands 
for  Saint),  comes  down  from  the  earlier  English  versions. 
The  American  Revised  Version  places  the  words  "  The 
Gospel"  before  all  the  gospels  as  a  common  title  covering 
them  all,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  several  gospels  uses 
th3  old  short  title,  "According  to  Matthew,"  "According  to 
Mark,'-'  etc.  The  phrase  "  according  to  Mark  "  means  "  as 
told  by  Mark."  "Mark"  undoubtedly  refers  to  the  John 
Mark  spoken  of  in  the  New  Testament  (Acts  1212, 13  5, 13; 
Col.  4 10;  Philem.  24;  1  Pet.  5 13;  2 Tim.  4  H).  The  title  "The 
Gospel  according  to  Mark  "  describes  the  contents  of  the 
book  as  the  good  news  (aboufTTesus)  as  told  by  Mark;  or, 
as  we  should  perhaps  say,  MarTi's  version  of  the  gospel 
story.  Before  we  take  up  the  study  of  the  book  itself,  it 
will  be  well  to  learn  something  about  Mark,  and  how  he 
learned  the  story  of  Jesus'  life.  The  expression  used  by 
Peter  in  1  Pet. 513,  "my  son,"  probably  means  that  Mark 
became  a  Christian  under  Peter's  influence.  Besides  the 
passages  cited  above,  which  the  student  should  look  up  and 
examine,  there  is  a  tradition,  repeated  in  slightly  diflferent 

1 


2    The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

form  by  various  Christian  writers  of  the  second  century 
and  later,  that  Mark  wrote  his  gospel  under  the  influence 
of  Peter,  obtaining  the  facts  chiefly  from  him. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  our  second 
gospel?  (2)  Who  first  placed  it  there?  (3)*  What 
does  the  phrase  "The  Gospel  according  to  Mark" 
mean  ?  (4)  Does  the  author  give  his  name  in  the  book 
itself  ?  (5)  How  did  those  who  were  responsible  for  put- 
ting the  name  of  Mark  on  this  book  get  their  informa- 
tion? (6)  What  books  of  the  New  Testament  contain 
the  name  of  the  author?  (7)  The  Mark  who  wrote  this 
gospel  being  undoubtedly  the  one  mentioned  in  the  New 
Testament,  what  do  Acts  12 12  and  Col.  4 10  show  about 
his  home,  family,  and  full  name?  (8)  What  is  the  first 
Christian  work  that  we  know  of  his  doing?  See  Acts 
13  5'  1'^  (9)  Was  Mark  ever  associated  with  Paul  again? 
See  Col.  410,  Philem.  ^K  (10)  With  what  other  apostle 
was  Mark  also  associated?  See  1  Peter  5  13.  (H)  What 
does  Peter  mean  by  calling  him  his  son?  (12)  What  is 
the  latest  mention  of  Mark  in  the  New  Testament  ?  See 
2  Tim.  4 11.  (13)  In  view  of  these  facts,  is  it  probable 
or  improbable  that  the  ancient  tradition  that  Mark 
wrote  his  gospel  under  the  influence  of  Peter,  that  is, 
got  his  facts  from  Peter,  is  correct?  (14)*  From  the 
passages  cited  above  (Acts  12  ^'^,  etc.)  write  a  sketch  of 
the  life  of  John  Mark. 

*  For  the  meaning  of  this  sign  prefixed  to  the  questions,  and  of  t 
attached  to  words  in  the  notes,  see  the  Foreword  to  the  Pupil,  p.  xiii, 
and  the  Preface,  p.  xxii. 


SECTION  I 
THE  PREACHING  OF  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST,  1 : 1-8 

1  The  beginning  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
HheSonofGod.  \,^TuscHpir* 

2  Even  as  it  is  written  in  Isaiah  the  prophet,  ITood^ 
Behold,  I  send  my  messenger  before  thy  face, 

Who  shall  prepare  thy  way ; 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "the  beginning  of  the  gospel "f:  The  word 
"  gospel "  as  here  used  refers  especially  to  the  facts  of 
Jesus'  life  which  are  good  news  to  men.  In  Mark's  mind 
the  gospel-story  begins  with  the  public  work  of  John  the 
Baptist  and  Jesus'  entry  on  his  ministry.  Compare  what 
Peter  says.  Acts  122,  about  the  facts  which  an  apostle 
needed  to  know  of  his  own  knowledge.  See  also  Acts 
10  37.  Matthew  and  Luke,  writing  a  little  later  than 
Mark,  include  the  story  of  Jesus'  birth.  "Of  Jesus 
Christ":  i.  e.,  concerning  him;  he  is  the  subject  of  the 
good  news.  "  The  Son  of  God":  The  first  line  of  the  gos- 
pel tells  whom  Mark  believes  Jesus  to  be  and  expresses  his 
faith  in  him.  Vs.  2,  "in  Isaiah  the  prophet":  The  first 
part  of  the  quotation,  the  remainder  of  this  verse,  is  really 
from  Mai.  31;  the  quotation  from  Isaiah  (403)  begins  with 
vs.  3.  Mark  combines  the  two  quotations  which  so  aptly 
describe  the  mission  of  John  the  Baptist.  In  the  passage 
from  Malachi,  the  prophet,  addressing  a  people  who  pro- 
fess to  be  very  anxious  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  says 
that  God  will  send  his  messenger  before  him  to  prepare  the 
way  for  him,  and  then  he  himself  will  speedily  come,  but 
for  judgment.  In  Isa.  40  3  the  prophet  predicts  the  return 
of  Israel  from  captivity  in  the  poetic  announcement  that 

3 


4        The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness, 
Make  ye  ready  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
Make  his  paths  straight; 
John  came,  who  baptized  in  the  wilderness  and 
Forgiveness     preached  the  baptism  of  repentance  unto  ^remis- 
sion of  sins.    And  there  went  out  unto  him  all  the 
country  of  Judsea,  and  all  they  of  Jerusalem ;  and 
they  were  baptized  of  him  in  the  river  Jordan, 


Jehovah  is  coming  home  to  his  land.  In  dramatic  language 
he  represents  himself  as  hearing  a  voice  bidding  men  pre- 
pare a  road  in  the  desert,  a  highway  for  our  God.  So,  Mark 
says,  John  is  God's  messenger  who  precedes  the  Christ  in 
whose  person  God  comes ;  he  is  a  voice  announcing  the 
coming  of  Jehovah.  Vs.  4,  "John  came,"  etc.:  This  short 
verse  tells  the  place  of  John's  work,  the  two  parts  of  his 
work,  preaching  and  baptizing,  the  substance  of  his  mes- 
sage, and  what  his  baptism  stood  for.  "Baptism  of  re- 
pentance": a  baptism  which  expresses  in  outward  act  an 
inward  repentance.!  "  Unto  remission^  of  sins  ":  in  order  to 
obtain  forgiveness  "j"  of  sins.  It  was  because  the  baptism 
expressed  repentance  that  it  secured  forgiveness.  Vs.  5, 
"all  the  country  of  Judea":  not  of  course  literally  all  the 
people,  but  multitudes  of  them.  "Confessing  their  sins": 
acknowledging  that  they  had  sinned.  Vs.  6,  "camel's 
hair":  a  coarse  cloth  made  of  the  long,  coarse  hair  of  the 
camel;  it  was  used  also  for  making  tents,  and  is  still  in  use 
in  eastern  countries.  "Locusts":  an  insect  much  like  a 
grasshopper.  "Wild  honey":  probably  the  honey  of  the 
wild  bee  (c/.  1  Sam.  14  25,  26;  Judg.  14  8).  This  description 
shows  that  John  was  a  poor  man,  and  that  he  lived 
apart  from  other  men,  having  no  need  to  visit  the  towns 
for  either  food  or  clothing.  Cf.  Luke  180.  Vs.  7,  "there 
Cometh  after  me  he,"  etc.:  John  does  not  say  who  this  is; 


The  Preaching  of  John 


6  confessing  their  sins.  And  John  was  clothed 
with  camel's  hair,  and  had  a  leathern  girdle  about 

7  his  loins,  and  did  eat  locusts  and  wild  honey.  And 
he  preached,  saying,  There  cometh  after  me  he 
that  is  mightier  than  I,  the  Hatchet  of  whose  shoes  ^^ii^se^L 

8  I  am  not  worthy  to  stoop  down  and  unloose.  I 
baptized  you  with  water;  but  he  shall  baptize  you 
with  the  *Holy  Ghost. 


dala 


4  Holy  Spirit, 
and  so  through- 
out this  book 


he  only  describes  him. 
"Mightier  than  I":  able 
to  do  a  kind  of  work 
which  I  cannot  do. 
"Latchet  of  whose 
shoes":  better,  thong 
of  whose  sandals,  i.  e., 
the  narrow  strap  by 
which  the  sandals  were 
fastened  on.  Vs.  8, 
"water  ....  Holy 
Spirit":  The  one  bap- 
tism touches  the  body 
and  is  the  outward  sign 
of  a  spiritual  fact;  the 
other  actually  reaches 
the  soul  and  accom 
plishes  a  real  result. 


QUESTIONS 

(1)   What  does  the 
word  "gospel"  mean? 

(2)*  In  what  sense  is  the  gospel  told  in  this  book  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ?    (3)  What  makes  this  story  a 


JOHN   THE    BAPTIST,    AS    PAINTED 
BY    ANDREA    DEL    SARTO 


6   The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

gospel  (good  news)  ?  (4)*  With  what  event  does  Mark 
regard  the  gospel-story  as  beginning?  (5)  How  does 
this  agree  with  Peter's  thought  expressed  in  Acts  1 21, 22. 
10  37?  (6)*  With  what  does  Matthew  begin  his  gos- 
pel? (7)*  With  what  does  Luke  begin  his?  (8)*  With 
what  does  John  begin  his  ?  (9)  What  title  does  Mark 
add  to  the  name  of  Jesus  ?  (10)  What  title  is  added  in 
the  beginning  of  Matthew?  (11)  From  what  books  of 
the  Old  Testament  are  the  passages  in  vss.  2, 3  quoted  ? 

(12)  Look  up  these  passages  (Isa.  40 ^  and  Mai.  3^) 
and  tell  what  they  mean  in  their  original  connection. 

(13)  To  whom  are  they  applied  by  Mark,  and  how  do 
they  describe  him?  (14)*  Where  did  John  preach? 
(15)*  What  was  the  subject  of  his  preaching?  (16)* 
What  is  repentance?  (17)  Why  is  John's  baptism 
called  a  baptism  of  repentance?  (18)  With  what  was 
the  baptism  accompanied  (vs.  5)?  (19)  What  were  they 
to  obtain  who  repented  and  received  baptism?  (20) 
How  many  people  came  to  John  to  be  baptized?  (21)* 
What  is  the  exact  meaning  of  "camel's  hair"?  of 
"locusts"?  of  "wild  honey"?  (22)  Why,  do  you  sup- 
pose, did  John  adopt  this  way  of  living?  (23)  Form  for 
yourself  a  picture  of  John  as  he  preached.  (24)*  What 
did  John,  say  about  the  one  who  was  to  come  after 
him?  (25)  What  did  he  mean  by  his  words  in  vs.  7? 
(26)  What  is  the  difference  between  John's  baptism  in 
water  and  Jesus'  baptism  with  Holy  Spirit?  (27)  What 
part  of  John's  preaching  applies  to  us  today?  (28)* 
Write  a  description  of  John's  appearance  and  way  of 
living.    (29)  What  sort  of  a  man  was  he? 


SECTION  II 
THE  BAPTISM  OP  JESUS,  1:9-11 

9         And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  Jesus 
came  from  Nazareth  of  Galilee,  and  was  baptized 

10  of  John  ^  in  the  Jordan.  And  straightway  coming  i  cr.  into 
up  out  of  the  water,  he  saw  the  heavens  ^rent  2  rending 
asunder,   and    the    Spirit    as    a   dove   descending 

11  upon  him:  and  a  voice  came  out  of  the  heavens, 
Thou  art  my  beloved  Son,  in  thee  I  am  well 
pleased. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  9,  "Nazareth!  of  Galilee "f:  Here  in  this  quiet 
town  Jesus  had  lived  for  nearly  thirty  years.  "  Was  bap- 
tized "1:  Jesus  recognized  the  message  of  the  prophet  to  the 
nation  as  a"Tnessage  of  God  to  him  also.  "  In  the  Jordan"|: 
the  principal  river  of  Palestine;  see  the  map.  At  what 
point  between  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  the  Dead  Sea  Jesus 
was  baptized  we  do  not  know.  People  living  in  Palestine 
usually  say  that  it  was  a  little  north  of  the  Dead  Sea,  oppo- 
site Jericho.  But  it  is  more  likely  that  it  was  farther  north, 
nearer  to  Galilee.  Vs.  10,  "  the  Spirit  as  a  dove  descend- 
ing": a  sign  of  the  bestowal  of  the  divine  Spirit  on  him 
preparing  him  for  his  great  work.  Vs.  11,  "thou  art  my 
beloved  Son":  an  expression  of  God's  approving  love  and 
confidence,  carrying  with  it  also  probably  the  assurance 
that  he  is  the  Messiah,  who  is  to  bring  in  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  sav§^his  people. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)*  Where  is  Nazarethf  (vs.  9)?     (2)*  If  Jesus  was 
baptized  in  the  Jordan  somewhat  south  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  iu  what  direction  did  his  joiu'ney  mentioned 

7 


8       The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

in  vs.  9  lie?  (3)  With  what  did  the  others  who  received 
John's  baptism  accompany  the  act  (vs.  5,  last  clause)? 
(4)  Why  is  there  no  mention  of  this  in  the  case  of 
Jesus?  (5)*  What  did  Jesus  see  as  he  came  up  out 
of  the  water?  (6)*  What  did  he  hear?  (7)  Is  there 
anything  here  to  indicate  that  a  multitude  was  present 
and  saw  and  heard  these  things?  (Luke  3  21  only 
means  that  Jesus  was  baptized  at  about  the  same  time 
with  the  people  generally.)  (8)  Try  to  picture  the  whole 
scene  to  yourself,  and  then  tell  the  story.  (9)  For 
whom  were  the  descent  of  the  Spirit  and  the  voice 
from  heaven  chiefly  meant  ?  (10)  What  did  they  mean 
to  Jesus?  W^as  his  private  life  now  at  an  end?  Were 
these  things  intended  to  prepare  him  for  his  public 
ministry? 


SHEPHERDS  FORDING  THE  JORDAN  WITH  THEIR  FLOCKS 


SECTION  III 
THE  TEMPTATION  IN  THE  WILDERNESS,  1:12,13 

12  And  straightway  the  Spirit  driveth  him  forth 

13  into  the  wilderness.  And  he  was  in  the  wilder- 
ness forty  days  tempted  of  Satan;  and  he  was 
with  the  wild  beasts;  and  the  angels  ministered 
unto  him. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  12,  "  the  Spirit  driveth  him  forth  into  the  wilder- 
ness": Nothing  could  be  more  natural  than  that  after 
such  a  vision  of  the  Spirit  descending  on  him  and  such  a 
voice  from  heaven,  he  should  wish  to  be  alone,  apart  from 
men,  to  think  over  the  work  which  he  as  God's  beloved 
Son  would  have  to  do  in  the  world.  Vs.  13,  "  forty  days, 
tempted  of  Satan":  Matthew  and  Luke  tell  of  three 
temptations  which  came  at  the  end  of  the  forty  days.  But 
Mark  speaks  of  temptations  throughout  the  period  without 
mentioning  any  one  in  particular.  The  whole  period  of 
meditation  was  also  one  of  temptation.  As  he  thought  of 
his  work  and  the  difficulties  that  he  would  meet,  the 
tempter  constantly  sought  to  turn  him  away  from  it,  or  to 
suggest  unworthy  ways  of  doing  it,  ways  that  would  not  be 
perfectly  right. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Where  did  Jesus  go  after  his  baptism?  (2) 
Does  the  record  tell  just  where  this  wilderness  was? 
(3)  Under  whose  impulse  did  Jesus  seek  the  solitude  of 
the  wilderness  ?  (4)  Can  you  think  of  any  reason  why 
he  should  wish  to  be  alone  at  this  time?     (5)*  How 

9 


10     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

long  did  he  remain  here?    (6)  Who  were  with  him? 

(7)  Is  there  anything  strange  in  his  being  tempted  by 
Satan  in  the  place  to  which  the  Spirit  had  sent  him? 

(8)  Will  following  the  path  of  duty  always  prevent  our 
being  tempted?  (9)  What  will  it  secure ?  (10)*  Write 
in  your  own  words  the  story  of  Jesus'  baptism  and 
temptation. 


IN   THE    WILDERNESS    OF   JUDEA 


SECTION  IV 
JESUS  BEGINS  PREACHING  IN  GALILEE  1:14,  15 

14  Now  after  that  John  was  delivered  up,  Jesus 
came  into  Galilee,  preaching  the  gospel  of  God, 

15  and  saying.  The  time  is  ^fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  i  completed 
of  God  is  at  hand:  repent  ye,  and  believe  in  the 
gospel. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  14,  "delivered  up"  :  i.  e.,  put  into  prison.  The  rea- 
sons for  this  imprisonment  are  told  in  6 1'',  18.  "Jesus  came 
into  Galilee  " :  As  Jesus'  home  had  been  at  Nazareth,  which 
is  itself  in  Galilee,  the  expression  "  came  into  Galilee  "  either 
suggests  that  he  had  previously  been  living  or  working 
elsewhere  tor  a  time  (see  John,  chaps.  2-4),  or  means  that 
he  left  his  Nazareth  home  to  begin  his  work  in  the  whole 
district  of  Galilee.  Matthew  mentions  that  he  at  this  time 
took  up  his  residence  in  Capernaum.  Vs.  15,  "  the  time  is 
fulfilled":  the  time  which  according  to  the  divine  plan 
was  necessary  to  elapse  before  the  new  age  of  the  kingdom 
could  begin.  "The  kingdom  of  God-f  is  at  hand"  :  i.  e.,  is 
near.  This  means  that  a  great  forward  step  is  about  to  be 
taken  in  bringing  about  the  happy  condition  of  things 
which  this  phrase  denotes,  when  God  should  reign  in  the 
hearts  and  affairs  of  men.  How  this  is  to  come  about  Jesus 
does  not  yet  say.     This  he  will  unfold  little  by  little. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)  What  is  meant  by  the  phrase  "delivered  up" 
(vs.  14)?  (2)*  By  whom  and  for  what  was  John  put 
into  prison?  (3)*  Into  what  region  did  Jesus  go  after 
John  was  "delivered  up"?  Locate  Galileef  on  the 
map  and  bound  it.    (4)  What  was  the  character  of  its 

11 


12     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

population?  (5)  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  statement 
that  Jesus  came  into  Gahlee  after  John's  imprisonment? 
(6)*  With  what  phrase  does  the  evangelist  describe 
Jesus'  teaching  (vs.  14)?  What  does  it  mean?  Study 
this  carefully.  (7)  What  two  announcements  of  fact 
does  Jesus  make  (vs.  15)?  What  do  these  announce- 
ments mean  ?  (8)  What  two  things  does  he  definitely 
command  (vs.  15)?  (9)*  In  what  way  was  the  teaching 
of  Jesus  like  that  of  John  the  Baptist  ?  How  was  it  dif- 
ferent? (10)  Could  a  message  containing  a  reproof  of 
sin  and  a  command  to  repent  be  called  a  gospel  ?f  Was 
John's  preaching  a  gospel?  If  so,  why?  If  not,  why 
not?  (11)  Have  we  today  a  larger  or  smaller  gospel 
than  the  Galileans  heard  from  Jesus?  (12)*  Do  these 
two  commands  of  Jesus  (vs.  15)  apply  to  men  of  today 
as  appropriately  as  to  the  Galileans  ? 


A   BOAT   ON    THE   SEA   OF   GALILEE 


SECTION  V 
THE  CALL  OP  THE  FOUR  FISHERMEN,  1  :  16-20 

16  And  passing  along  by  the  sea  of  Galilee,  he 
saw  Simon  and  Andrew  the  brother  of  Simon 
casting  a  net  in  the  sea:  for  they  were  fishers. 

17  And  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Come  ye  after  me,  and 

18  I  will  make  you  to  become  fishers  of  men.  And 
straightway  they  left  the  nets,  and  followed  him. 

19  And  going  on  a  little  further,  he  saw  James  the 
son  of  Zebedee,  and  John  his  brother,  who  also 

20  were  in  the  boat  mending  the  nets.  And  straight- 
way he  called  them:  and  they  left  their  father 
Zebedee  in  the  boat  with  the  hired  servants,  and 
went  after  him. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  17,  "  fishers  of  men  " :  persons  who  should  go  out 
among  men  and  skilfully  draw  them  away  from  their  pre- 
vious associations,  as  a  fisherman  gathers  the  fish  out  of 
the  sea.  Of  course,  the  figure  of  speech  must  not  be  presesd 
too  far.  Such  fishers  of  men  as  Jesus  would  make  these 
men  would  catch  men  to  save  them,  not  to  destroy  or  to 
injure  them.  Vs.  18,  "straightway  they  left  the  nets,  and 
followed  him  "  :  John  1 35-42  tells  of  their  meeting  Jesus 
before  this,  but  they  now  left  their  business  permanently 
to  be  his  companions  and  helpers.  Vs.  19,  "  James  .... 
and  John "  :  It  is  generally  supposed  that  the  unnamed 
disciple  in  John  I'lO  was  John  the  son  of  Zebedee,  the 
author  of  the  narrative  there.  There  is  no  mention  of 
James  having  met  Jesus  before,  but  he  may  have  done  so, 

13 


14     The  Gospel  accokding  to  Mark 

or  may  have  known  him  only  from  John.  Vs.  20,  "  straight- 
way he  called  them"  :  gave  them  the  same  sort  of  an  invi- 
tation which  he  had  already  given  the  other  pair  of 
brothers.  Vs.  20,  "  with  the  hired  servants  "  :  an  indica- 
tion both  that  Zebedee  and  his  sons  were  not  very  poor 
men,  so  that  it  was  something  of  a  financial  sacrifice  for 
them  to  give  up  their  business,  and  that  the  sons  were  not 
abandoning  poverty-stricken  parents  who  needed  the  sup- 
port of  their  sons. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Locate  and  describe  the  Sea  of  Galilee  (vs.  16). 
*Name  some  of  the  cities  on  its  shores.  (2)  Had  Simon 
and  Andrew  known  Jesus  before?  (3)*  What  did  Jesus 
mean  by  "fishers  of  men"  ?  (4)  Had  James  and  John 
ever  seen  Jesus  before?  (5)  What  does  vs.  20  imply  as 
to  the  wealth  or  poverty  of  Zebedee?  (6)  What  experi- 
ence of  men  today  would  have  much  the  same  signifi- 
cance for  them  that  this  event  had  for  the  four  fishermen  ? 
(7)*  Did  this  following  of  Jesus  mean  that  they  must 
leave  their  business  permanently?  (8)  To  what  office 
did  Jesus  afterward  appoint  these  four  men  with  others? 
(See  Mark  3i^-i9.)  (9)  Was  this  call  such  a  one  as  Jesus 
gives  to  all  men  ?  If  not,  how  does  it  differ  from  it  ?  (10)* 
Are  we  all  called  to  become  fishers  of  men?  (11)*  What 
must  w^e  ourselves  do  before  we  can  obey  this  call  ? 


SECTION  VI 
A  SABBATH  IN  CAPERNAUM,  1:21-34 

21  And  they  go  into  Capernaum ;  and  straightway 
on  the  sabbath  day  he  entered  into  the  synagogue 

22  and   taught.     And  they  were   astonished  at  his 
teaching :  for  he  taught  them  as  having  authority, 

23  and  not  as  the  scribes.     And  ^straightway  there  ^ume^^'"''^ 
was  in  their  synagogue  a  man  Vith  an  unclean  ^o/  ^^^p'"'"^'' 

24  spirit;  and  he  cried  out,  saying,  ^What  have  we  ^?ho^tTdo"''* 
to  do  with  thee,  thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ?  art  thou 

come  to  destroy  us?     I  know  thee  who  thou  art, 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  21,  "  Capernaum "t.  "On  the  sabbatht  day  he 
entered  into  the  synagogue  ""f:  The  sabbath  was  the  princi- 
pal day  of  synagogue  worship,  though  services  were  also  held 
on  Mondays  and  Thursdays.  "And  taught ":  i.  e.,  delivered 
the  sermon,  as  in  Luke  4  20-27.  Vs.  22,  "astonished  at  his 
teaching":  The  next  clause  explains  what  it  was  in  his 
teaching  that  surprised  them,  viz.,  that  he  spoke  "as 
having  authority,  and  not  as  the  scribes  ""j".  The  Ecribes 
were  accustomed  to  repeat  the  opinions  of  those  who  had 
taught  before  them,  as  some  teachers  and  preachers  today 
seem  able  only  to  repeat  other  men's  opinions.  Jesus 
taught  with  authority,  with  clear  and  firm  conviction,  an3 
wrth_no  appeal  to  anyone  else  but  God.  See,  for  example, 
Matt.  522,  28,  etc.  Vs.  23,  "a  man  with  an  unclean  spirit": 
i.  e.,  a  demoniac!.  Vs.  24,  "what  have  we  to  do  with 
thee":  See  margin;  it  is  as  much  as  to  say,  "Let  us 
alone."  "  To  destroy  us  " :  See  Matt.  8  29;  Luke  8  31.  "  The 
Holy  One  of  God":  i.  e.,  the  chosen  of  God,  nearly  equiv- 
alent to  "the  Christ."  Cf.  John  6  69;  Mark  8  29;  Luke  4  41. 
•  15 


16      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

4or.«  the  Holy  One  of  God.     And  Jesus  rebuked  *him,  25 

saying,   Hold   thy  peace,  and  come  out  of  him. 

bor^convuis-     ^nd  the  unclean  spirit.  Hearing  him  and  crying  26 
with  a  loud  voice,  came  out  of  him.     And  they  27 
were  all   amazed   insomuch  that  they  questioned 
among  themselves,  saying.  What  is  this?  a  new 
teaching !  with  authority  he  commandeth  even  the 
unclean    spirits,   and    they  obey  him.     And   the  28 
report   of  him  went  out  straightway  everywhere 
into  all  the  region  of  Galilee  round  about. 

And  straightway,  when  they  were  come  out  of  29 
the  synagogue,  they  came  into  the  house  of  Simon 

Vs.  31,  "and  she  ministered  unto  them":  served  them, 
probably  made  ready  and  served  the  sabbath  meal. 

Vs.  32,  "and  at  even":  when  the  sabbathf  ended.  To 
have  come  to  be  -healed  before  sunset,  and  so  on  the  sab- 
bath, would  have  been  a  violation  of  the  law  as  the  Phari- 
sees interpreted  it,  and  this  not  only  because  some  of  the 
sick  would  probably  have  had  to  be  carried  (c/.  Mark  2  3), 
but  because  healing  itself  was  forbidden  on  the  sabbath. 
See  John  510;  Luke  131*.  "Possessed  with  devils": 
Wherever  this  phrase  occurs,  it  must  be  understood  to 
mean  demoniacs,  and  when  the  word  "devil"!  occurs  with 
the  word  demon  in  the  margin,  remember  that  it  refers, 
not  to  the  one  devil,  the  tempter,  but  to  one  of  the  many 
demons  who  were  believed  to  torment  men  and  make  them 
sick  or  crazy.  "Suffered  not  the  demons  to  speak":  See 
vs.  25.  There  were  probably  two  reasons  why  Jesus  did 
not  wish  to  have  the  demons  announcing  him  as  the  Christ: 
First,  such  testimony  from  those  whom  the  people  regarded 
as  evil  spirits  would  have  prejudiced  them  against  him. 
Words  of  praise  from  such  a  source  would  not  really  com- 
mend him.     Secondly,  Jesus  did  not  wish  to  turn  the 


A  Sabbath  in  Capeknaum  17 

30  and  Andrew,  with  James  and  John.  Now  Simon's 
wife's  mother  lay  sick  of  a  fever;  and  straightway 

31  they  tell  him  of  her:  and  he  came  and  took  her 
by  the  hand,  and  raised  her  up;  and  the  fever 
left  her,  and  she  ministered  unto  them. 

32  And  at  even,  when  the  sun  did  set,  they  brought 
unto  him  all  that  were  sick,  and  them  that  were 

33  ® possessed   with    devils.     And    all   the    city   was  ^or,  de- 

^  •'  moniacs 

34  gathered  together  at  the  door.     And  he  healed 
many  that  were  sick  with  Mivers  diseases,  and  cast  '>  various 
out  many  Mevils;  and  he  suffered  not  the  Mevils  ^demons 

to  speak  because  they  knew  him.^  oManyancien*^ 

i  J  manuscripts 


thoughts  of  the  people  to  the  question  whether  he  was 
the  Christ  at  all  as  yet.  They  had  so  wrong  an  idea  of  the 
Messiah  (the  Christ)  and  his  work  that  he  was  compelled 
to  keep  the  fact  that  he  was  the  Messiah  in  the  back- 
ground till  they  knew  him  (Jesus)  better,  and  so  could 
form  their  idea  of  the  Messiah  from  what  they  saw  him  to 
be,  not  their  idea  of  him  from  what  they  fancied  the 
Messiah  would  be.  Jesus'  constant  effort  was  to  draw 
men  to  him  by  his  own  character  and  teaching  rather  than 
by  large  names  or  startling  evidence.  And  it  is  still  true 
that  it  is  far  more  important  for  us  to  know  and  love 
Jesus  as  he  really  is  than  without  such  knowledge  and  love 
to  apply  to  him  titles,  be  they  ever  so  high  and  ever  so 
true. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Where  is  Capernaum?  (2)*  What  was  a  syna- 
gogue? What  was  the  character  of  the  services?  {Cf. 
Luke  4 16-27.)  How  did  it  differ  from  the  temple?  (3) 
What  was  it  in  Jesus'  teaching  that  astonished  the 
people?      (4)    State    as    accurately  as   you  can  how 


add   to  be 
Christ.    See 
Luke  4  :  41 


18      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

his  teaching  differed  from  that  of  the  scribes.  (5)* 
What  were  some  of  the  effects  produced  by  demoniacal 
possession?  (Mark  5  2-5;  9i'^-27).  (6)*  What  does  the 
New  Testament  uniformly  represent  to  be  the  cause  of 
this  condition?  (7)  What  do  the  demoniacs  mean  by 
the  words  "The  Holy  One  of  God"?  (8)*  What  was 
Jesus*  way  of  dealing  with  these  unfortunate  people? 
Does  he  treat  them  as  great  sinners  to  be  sternly 
reproved  or  as  unfortunates  to  be  relieved?  To  whom 
is  Jesus'  rebuke  addressed?  (9)  What  class  of  people 
known  to  us  in  modern  times  most  nearly  resemble 
these  ancient  demoniacs?  (10)  What  are  the  most 
noticeable  differences  between  the  two  classes  of  cases  ? 

(11)  What  does  vs.  29  imply  as  to  the  home  of  the 
nien  here  mentioned?  (12)  What  does  the  fact  that 
they  tell  Jesus  about  the  sick  woman  imply  as  to  their 
expectation  and  faith?  (13)  What  does  the  word 
"ministered"  mean?  Of  what  is  the  fact  that  she 
ministered  to  them  an  evidence? 

(14)  Why  did  the  people  wait  till  evening  to  bring 
their  sick?  (15)*  What  is  the  difference  in  meaning 
between  "devil"!  and  "demon"?  (16)  Why  does  Jesus 
forbid  the  demons  to  speak?  (17)*  The  miracles  here 
narrated  (121-34)  are  the  first  that  are  told  in  Mark. 
What  is  the  common  characteristic  of  all  those  for 
whom  Jesus  uses  his  power  in  this  way?  (18)*  What 
is  the  evident  motive  of  Jesus  in  all  these  miracles? 
(19)  How  far  is  his  conduct  an  example  that  we  can 
follow?  (20)*  Picture  to  yourself  as  vividly  as  you  can 
this  "sabbath  in  Capernaum,"  and  then  from  memory 
write  out  the  story  in  your  ov>^n  words.  (21)*  After  read- 
ing Luke  4 16-27  and  Acts  13 1'^-i^,  and  any  other  sources 
of  information  that  you  have  at  hand,  write  a  statement 
of  what  the  service  of  the  synagogue  included. 


SECTION  VII 
A  PREACHING  TOUR  IN  GALILEE,  1:35-45 

35  And  in  the  morning,  a  great  while  before  day, 
he  rose  up  and  went  out,  and  departed  into  a  des- 

36  ert  place,  and  there  prayed.    And  Simon  and  they 

37  that  were  with  him  followed  after  him ;  and  they 
found  him,  and   say  unto  him,  All  are   seeking 

38  thee.     And  he  saith  unto  them,  Let  us  go  else- 
where into  the  next   towns,  that   I   may  preach 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  35,  "a  desert  place":  an  uninhabited  region  in  the 
country.  It  was  soHtude  that  Jesus  wanted,  an  "inner 
chamber  "  (Matt.  6  6)  in  effect,  though  there  were  no  walls 
around  it  and  no  roof  over  it  but  the  sky.  V«.  37,  "all  are 
seeking  thee":  the  people  of  Capernaum  who  had  seen  or 
heard  of  the  events  of  the  day  before  and  who  were  doubt- 
less eager  to  see  other  deeds  of  healing  power.  Vs.  38, 
"unto  the  next  towns":  which,  because  they  had  not  seen 
him,  or  heard  his  message,  needed  him  more  than  those 
that  having  seen  him  were  eager  to  have  him  come  back. 
Not  those  that  desired  him  most,  but  those  that  needed 
him  most,  appealed  most  strongly  to  Jesus.  With  vss.  38, 
39  begin  what  is  often  called  "the  first  preaching  tour 
in  Galilee,"  because  it  is  the  first  such  tour  distinctly  re- 
corded. But  it  is  impossible  to  say  just  how  many  tours 
Jesus  made,  or  that  this  was  really  the  first.  He  was  con- 
stantly going  about  Galilee  preaching  and  teaching. 

Vs.  40,  "  Cometh  to  him  a  leper  "f:  The  law  required  a 
leper  to  remain  at  a  distance  from  other  men  (Lev.  13  ^^-^  46). 
But  this  man's  eagerness  to  be  healed  led  him  to  disregard 

19 


1  demons 


20     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

there  also;  for  to  this  end  came  I  forth.     And  he  39 
went  into  their  synagogues  throughout  all  Galilee, 
preaching  and  casting  out  Mevils. 

And  there  cometh  to  him  a  leper,  beseeching  40 
him,  and  kneeling  down  to  him,  and  saying  unto 
him,  If  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean.  And  41 
being  moved  with  compassion,  he  stretched  forth 
,his  hand,  and  touched  him,  and  saith  unto  him,  I 
will;  be  thou  made  clean.     And  straightway  the  42 
leprosy   departed    from   him,    and   he   was   made 


the  law;  nor  did  Jesus  reprove  him  for  doing  so.  "If  thou 
wilt,  thou  canst":  These  words  show  of  which  the  leper 
was  more  sure,  Jesus'  power  or  his  kindness  of  heart.  Vs. 
41,  "  moved  with  compassion  "f:  impelled  by  pity.  "I  will": 
cf.  the  leper's  words,  "t/  thou  wilt."  "Clean":  healed, 
well.  Vs.  44,  "see  thou  say  nothing  to  any  man,  but  go," 
etc.:  The  man's  first  duty  was  to  present  himself  to  the 
priest  and  get  from  him  what  practically  amounted  to  a 
certificate  that  he  was  cured  and  fit  to  live  with  other 
people.  But  Jesus  evidently  desired  not  only  that  he 
should  conform  to  this  useful  regulation,  but  that  he 
should  not  go  about  telling  of  his  cure,  because  this  would 
attract  attention  to  Jesus  as  a  healer  of  sickness  rather 
than  as  a  teacher  of  truth,  and  so  would  hinder  the  work 
he  wished  to  do.  Jesus  healed  the  sick  as  he  had  oppor. 
tunity;  being  moved  with  compassion,  and  possessing  the 
power,  he  could  not  do  otherwise;  but  that  was  not  his 
chief  business.  "The  things  which  Moses  commanded": 
See  Lev.,  chap.  14.  "For  a  testimony  to  them":  These 
words  express  the  purpose  of  going  to  the  priest  and  pre- 
senting the  offering;  evidence  would  thus  be  given  to  them 
(people  in  general)  that  he  was  really  healed. 


A  Pkeaching  Tour  in  Galilee       21 

43  clean.  And  he  ^strictly  charged  him,  and  straight-  ^o^stemiy 

44:  way  sent  him  out,  and  saith  unto  him,  See  thou 

say  nothing  to  any  man:  but  go  thy  way,  shew 

thyself  to  the  priest,  and  offer  for  thy  cleansing 

the  things  which  Moses  commanded,  for  a  testi- 

45  mony  unto  them.     But  he  went  out  and  began  to 

^publish  it  much,  and  to  spread  abroad  the  matter,   ^S/^^""^' 
insomuch  that  Jesus  could  no  more  openly  enter 
into  a  city,  but  was  without  in  desert  places :  and 
they  came  to  him  from  every  quarter. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  What  is  meant  by  a  desert  place?  Why  did 
Jesus  seek  a  place  of  this  sort  for  prayer?  (2)  Why 
did  he  seek  this  opportunity  for  secret  prayer?  (3)* 
In  Matt.  6  6  he  bids  his  disciples  enter  into  the  inner 
chamber  to  pray;  is  his  conduct  here  in  accordance 
with  the  spirit  of  that  injunction?  (4)  What  does 
Jesus*  conduct  suggest  to  us  as  to  our  need  of  prayer? 
(5)  What  do  vss.  32-34  suggest  as  the  reason  why  the 
people  of  Capernaum  were  seeking  Jesus?  (6)*  Why 
did  Jesus  wish  to  press  on  to  the  other  towns?  (7)* 
What  does  this  show  as  to  his  estimate  of  the  relative 
importance  of  healing  and  preaching  the  gospel  ?  (8) 
What  does  the  fact  that  Jesus  left  the  people  that 
wanted  him,  but  had  heard  the  gospel,  to  go  to  those 
who  had  not  heard  it,  suggest  as  to  the  duty  of  Chris- 
tians in  carrying  the  gospel  to  those  who  have  not 
heard  it  ?  (9)  In  view  of  Jesus'  conduct,  can  we  excuse 
ourselves  from  trying  to  send  the  gospel  to  regions  be- 
yond, on  the  ground  that  there  is  enough  to  do  at  home? 


22     The  Gospel  according  to  Maek 

(10)*  How  extensive  a  preaching  tour  did  Jesus  make 
at  this  time?  (11)*  Of  what  Jewish  institution  did  he 
avail  himself  in  this  work?  (12)  What  two  features  of 
his  work  are  especially  mentioned?  (13)  How  much 
time  would  be  occupied  in  such  a  tour? 

(14)  What  kind  of  a  disease  was  the  leprosy  spoken 
of  in  the  Bible,  and  what  were  the  regulations  of  the 
Jewish  law  about  lepers  associating  with  the  people? 
(15)  How  did  the  leper  (vs.  40)  show  his  faith  in 
Jesus?  (16)  In  what  do  the  words  of  the  leper  in  vs. 
40  show  that  his  confidence  was  strongest,  in  Jesus' 
power  or  in  his,  kindness  of  heart?  (17)  How  had 
he  probably  gained  this  confidence?  (vss.  32-34)? 
(18)*  What  moved  Jesus  to  help  the  leper?  What  does 
the  word  "compassion"  mean?  (19)*  What  does  the 
fact  that  Jesus  touched  the  leper  (c/.  Lev.  13  ^^^  ^6)  show 
as  to  his  regard  for  ceremonial  precepts  in  comparison 
with  compassion  and  mercy  (c/.  Matt.  9^2, 13)?  (20) 
Was  the  leper  ceremonially  cleansed  or  actually  healed? 
(21)  Does  vs.  44  mean  that  he  was  never  to  tell  anybody 
what  Jesus  had  done  for  him,  or  that  he  was  now  and 
first  of  all  to  hold*  his  peace,  and  bear  his  testimony  by 
showing  himself  to  the  priest  ?  (22)  What  was  the 
effect  of  his  disobedience  ?  (23)  Are  there  times  when 
silence  is  better  than  talk,  and  actions  a  better  testimony 
than  either?  (24)  What  is  Jesus'  general  injunction  to 
us  concerning  bearing  testimony  to  him  (Matt.  10  ^2, 33)? 
(25)*  Write  out  in  your  own  words  the  story  of  Jesus' 
first  recorded  preaching  tour  in  Galilee. 


1  Or,  at  home 


SECTION  VIII 

A  PARALYTIC  HEALED  AND  HIS  SINS 
FORGIVEN,  2:1-12 

And  when  he  entered  again  into  Capernaum 
after  some  days  it  was  noised  that  he  was  ^in  the 
house.  And  many  were  gathered  together,  so 
that  there  was  no  longer  room  for  them,  no,  not 
even  about  the  door:  and  he  spake  the  word 
unto  them.  And  they  come,  bringing  unto  him  a 
^man  sick  of  the  palsy,  borne  of  four.  And  when  2paraiytio 
they  could  not  come  nigh  unto  him  for  the  crowd, 
they  uncovered  the  roof  where  he  was:  and  when 
they  had  broken  it   up,  they   let   down  the  bed 


A   PALESTINIAN    HOUSE 

23 


24      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 


2  paralytic 


Which 


whereon  the  ^sick  of  the  palsy  lay.     And  Jesus  5 
seeing  their  faith  saith  unto  the  ^sick  of  the  palsy, 
Son,  thy  sins  are  forgiven.     But  there  were  cer-  6 
tain  of  the  scribes  sitting  there,  and  reasoning  in 
their  hearts,  Why  does  this  man  thus  speak?  he  7 
blasphemeth :  who  can  forgive  sins  but  one,  even 
God?     And  straightway  Jesus,  perceiving  in  his  8 
spirit  that  they  so   reasoned  within  themselves, 
saith  unto  them.  Why  reason  ye  these  things  in 
your  hearts?     ^Whether  is  easier,  to  say  to  the  9 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "  in  the  house  "t:  See  the  margin.  Vs.  2,  "  about 
the  door  ":  Probably  the  housej  was  of  the  simplest  kind, 
having  but  one  story  and  but  one  room.  Jesus  was  stand- 
ing in  this  room,  and  the  crowd  filled,  not  only  it,  but 
the  narrow  street  in  front  of  the  house,  thus  cutting  off  all 
approach  to  Jesus.  If  the  house  was  built  about  a  court, 
Jesus  must  have  stood  in  one  of  the  rooms,  or  under  the 
roof  that  was  sometimes  built  about  the  outer  edge  of  the 
court;  in  that  case  the  crowd  filled  the  court  and  thfe 
passageway  from  the  street.  Vs.  3,  "sick  of  the  palsy": 
or,  as  we  should  say  today,  the  paralyzed  man,  or  the 
paralytic.  "Borne  of  four":  one  holding  each  corner  of 
the  pallet  on  which  he  lay.  Vs.  4.  "  uncovered  the  roof," 
etc.:  They  reached  the  fiat  roof  by  the  outside  staircase 
and  easily  dug  through  it  between  the  rafters.  When  the 
opening  was  made,  they  passed  the  paralytic  down  to  those 
who  stood  about  Jesus  within  the  room  below.  Vs.  5,  "  their 
faith":  i.  e.,  of  the  five  men  ;  not  simply  that  of  the  para- 
lytic, since  then  the  record  would  have  said  "his;"  nor 
simply  of  the  four  bearers,  for  it  is  not  likely  that  they 
would  have  brought  the  paralytic  without  his  consent,  or 
that  Jesus  would  have  pronounced  his  sins  forgiven  if  he 
had  not  seen  that  the  man  himself  had  at  least  the  begin- 


A  Paealyttc  Healed  25 

^sick  of  the  palsy,  Thy  sins   are   forgiven;  or  to 

10  say,  Arise,  and  take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk  ?  But 
that    ye   may   know   that   the  Son   of  man  hath 

*  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins  (he  saith  to  the  ^"^^^''onty 

11  ^sick  of  the  palsy),  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise,  take  up 

12  thy  bed,. and  go  unto  thy  house.  And  he  arose, 
and  straightway  took  up  the  bed,  and  went  forth 
before  them  all;  insomuch  that  they  were  all 
amazed,  and  glorified  God,  saying,  We  never  saw 
it  on  this  fashion. 


nings  of  faith.  *'Thy  sins  are  forgivent-'":  Probably 
Jesus  saw  that  the  man  himself  was  more  burdened  with 
his  sin  than  w  ith  his  sickness,  and  more  anxious  to  be  at 
peace  with  God  than  to  be  cured  of  the  palsy.  For  it  does 
not  seem  to  have  been  Jesus'  habit  to  bestow  a  spirit- 
ual blessing  on  one  who  had  no  desire  for  it  or  faith  to 
receive  it.  See,  for  example,  Luke  17  11-19.  According  to 
your  faith,  was  Jesus'  general  rule  of  action  in  giving  bless- 
ing to  men.  Perhaps  the  man  saw  in  his  sickness  a  punish- 
ment for  liis  sin  ;  perhaps  not ;  in  any  case  he  wanted  to 
be  forgiven.  Vs.  6,  "  scribes  "f:  This  is  the  first  time  that 
the  scribes  have  been  mentioned  as  opposing  Jesus,  and 
as  yet  they  only  question  his  authority,  do  not  directly 
deny  it.  Vs.  7,  "blaspheme"!:  i.  e.,  by  claiming  the  right 
to  do  that  which  they  believed  that  God  only  could  do, 
viz.,  forgive  sins.  Vss.  9, 10:  To  the  scribes  who  question 
whether  Jesus  really  has  authority  to  forgive  sins,  of 
which  there  can,  of  course,  be  no  visible  test,  Jesus  replies 
that  he  will  show  his  power  in  a  thing  which  they  can 
test,  since  they  can  see  whether  the  paralytic  walks  or  not. 
He  implies  that  if  he  thus  proves  his  words  good  in  the 
one  case,  it  is  reasonable  for  them  to  believe  that  they  are 
good  in  the  other  case.  It  is  thus  that  we  constantly 
reason  about  people.    Finding  them  good  and  true  where 


26     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

we  can  test  them,  we  believe  them  so  where  we  have  no 
opportunity  to  apply  a  test.  Vs.  10,  "the  Son  of  man"!: 
This  is  the  first  occurrence  of  this  title,  by  which  Jesus  so 
frequently  speaks  of  himself.  Vs.  11,  "bed":  a  simple 
pallet,  scarcely  more  than  a  heavy  blanket  or  thin  mattress, 
easily  carried  by  one  person. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Where  is  Capernaum  ?  What  is  it  called  in  Matt. 
91  ?  (2)  What  other  meaning  may  the  words  trans- 
lated "in  the  house"  have?  (3)  What  drew  the  crowd 
together?  What  had  Jesus  done  when  he  was  last  in 
Capernaum  (132-34)?  (4.)*  jf  tKere  was  no  room  about 
the  door,  how  could  these  men  reach  the  roof  of  the 
house?  (5)  What  kind  of  a  "  bed  "  was  it  upon  which 
they  brought  the  paralytic?  (6)  Whose  faith  is  meant 
in  vs.  5?  (7)*  What  does  the  fact  that  Jesus  forgives 
the  sins  -of  the  paralytic  imply  as  to  the  man's  attitude 
toward  his  sins  ?  (8)*  Does  God  forgive  the  sins  of  one 
who  is  still  unrepentant  ?  (9)*  Who  were  the  scribes  ? 
(10)  What  is  blasphemy?  (11)  Were  the  scribes  right 
in  saying  that  Jesus  blasphemed  when  he  forgave  the 
sins  of  the  paralytic  (c/.  Matt.  18 18;  John  20  23)?  (12) 
Of  what  did  Jesus  wish  to  convince  them  by  his  argu- 
ment and  action  in  vss.  8-11?  (13)*  By  what  name 
does  Jesus  call  himself  in  vs.  10?  Has  this  name 
occurred  in  the  gospel  before?  (14)*  What  does  it 
mean  as  applied  by  Jesus  to  himself?  (15)*  This 
section  speaks  of  (1)  a  paralytic,  (2)  his  four  friends, 
(3)  the  scribes,  (4)  Jesus.  Tell  in  writing  (a)  what 
part  each  took  in  this  event,  (b)  what  spirit  each  mani- 
fested. (16)  Consider  (a)  ho\\r  far  we  ought  to  avoid 
or  to  imitate  the  spirit  of  each;  and  (b)  how  we  can 
follow  the  example  of  those  whose  conduct  is  worthy  of 
imitation. 


SECTION  IX 

THE    CALL  OF  LEVI,  AND    THE    FEAST  IN  HIS 
HOUSE,  2:13-17 

13  And  he  went  forth  again  by  the  seaside;  and 
all  the  multitude  resorted  unto  him,  and  he  taught 

14  them.  And  as  he  passed  by,  he  saw  Levi  the  son 
of  Alphaeus  sitting  at  the  place  of  toll,  and  he 
saith  unto  him.  Follow  me.     And  he  arose  and 

15  followed  him.     And  it  came  to  pass,  that  he  was 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  13,  "Seaside":  Near  the  place  now  known  as 
Khan  Minyeh,  where  Capernaum^  was  probably  located, 
there  are  two  beaches  that  would  be  suitable  for  a  meeting- 
place  for  crowds.  Vs.  14,  "Levi,"  or  Matthew!  (Matt.  9  9) 
as  he  is  also  called,  was  one  of  the  smaller  publicans.f 
"The  place  of  toll":  probably  a  sort  of  petty  custom-house 
for  the  collection  of  taxes  on  goods  shipped  across  the  Sea 
of  Galilee.  Vs.  16,  "scribes  of  the  Pharisees":  those 
teachers  of  the  law  who  belonged  to  the  society  of  the 
Pharisees.!  Most  of  the  scribes  were  Pharisees,  though 
some  may  possibly  have  been  Sadducees.  Vs.  17, 
"they  that  are  whole":  the  righteous.  "They  that  are 
sick":  the  sinners,  who  because  they  are  sinners  need 
curing.  "I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners": 
The  word  "  the"  before  righteous  should  really  be  omitted; 
Jesus  does  not  say  that  there  are  any  righteous,  but  taking 
the  Pharisees  on  their  own  ground,  when  they  complained 
of  him  for  mingling  with  sinners,  he  says  that  sinners  are 
precisely  the  people  that  he  came  to  save;  righteous 
people,  if  any  such  there  were,  did  not  need  him.     But 

27 


28     The  Gospel  according  to  Maek 


1  collectors  of 
taxes 


sitting  at  meat  in  his  houee,  and  many  '  publicans 

and  sinners  sat  down  with  Jesus  and  his  disciples : 

for  there  were  many,  and  they  followed  him.    And    16 

^mrscrTpt?*    the  scribes  ^of  the  Pharisees,  when  they  saw  that 

Pharisees        he  was  catlug  with    the  sinners   and   publicans, 

\tat^h7Jateth  Said  uuto  hls  disciples,  ^He  eateth  and  drinketh 

with    publicans    and   sinners.     And  when   Jesus    17 
'£r^' ''      heard  it,  he  saith  unto  them.  They  that  are  *  whole 
have  no  need  of  a  physician,  but  they  that  are 
sick:  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners. 

notice  that  he  went  among  sinners,  not  to  share  in  their 
sin,  but  to  save  them  from  their  sin,  as  a  physician  to  heal 
them. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  What  sea  is  referred  to  in  vs.  13?  At  what 
part  of  the  shore  must  this  event  have  occurred?  (2) 
What  other  name  did  Levi  have?  (3)*  What  was  Levi's 
business  ?  (4)  What  four  other  men  had  Jesus  already 
asked  to  leave  their  business  to  follow  him?  (5)*  What 
was  a  publican?  How  were  the  publicans  regarded  by 
the  Jews  and  why?  (6)  In  whose  house  did  this  dinner 
take  place?  (7)*  What  fault  did  the  Pharisees  find 
with  Jesus  on  this  occasion?  (8)  What  sort  of  a  spirit 
does  this  criticism  show  ?  (9)  What  was  Jesus'  answer 
to  their  criticism ?  (10)  What  does  his  answer  mean? 
Put  it  in  your  own  words.  (11)  Does  this  answer  mean 
that  there  really  are  any  who  are  not  (morally)  sick, 
any  who  are  truly  righteous  ?  (12)*  Why  did  Jesus  go 
among  sinners  ?  (13)  In  what  way  can  we  most  perfectly 
imitate  his  example?     Give  examples. 


SECTION  X 

JESUS'  ANSWER  TO  A  QUESTION  CONCERNING 
FASTING,  2:18-22 

18  And  John's  disciples  and  the  Pharisees  were 
fasting:  and  they  come  and  say  unto  him,  Why 
do  John's  disciples  and  the  disciples  of  the  Phari- 

19  sees  fast,  but  thy  disciples  fast  not  ?  And  Jesus  said 
unto  them.  Can  the  sons  of  the  bride-chamber  fast, 
while  the  bridegroom  is  with  them  ?  as  long  as  they 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  18,  "John's  disciples":  John  was  already  in  prison 
at  this  time  (Mark  1 14),  but  his  disciples  were  evidently- 
allowed  to  visit  him  (Matt.  11  2;  Luke  7  18).  "Disciples  of 
the,  Pharisees  ":  probably  those  men  who  did  not  belong  as 
members  to  the  society  of  the  Pharisees,  but  who  believed 
in  their  religious  ideas.  "Fast":  The  law  of  Moses  com- 
manded only  one  fast  a  year,  the  Day  of  Atonement  (Lev. 
23  27-32).  The  prophet  Zechariah  mentions  several  others 
as  practiced  in  his  day  (Zech.  71--^;  819).  But  the  Phari- 
sees, some  of  them  at  least,  fasted  twice  every  week,  on 
Monday  and  on  Thursday  (Luke  18 12).  Vs.  19,  "  can  the 
sons  of  the  bride-chamber  fast  while  the  bridegroom  is 
with  them?  "  A  wedding  is  a  time  of  joy;  fasting  expresses 
sorrow.  The  two  things  are  incongruous.  Jesus  compares 
himself  to  the  bridegroom,  his  disciples  he  calls  the  sons  of 
the  bride-chamber,  i.  e.,  the  friends  of  the  bridegroom. 
Having  the  joy  of  his  presence,  they  could  not  rightly 
profess  to  be  sad.  Notice  that  Jesus  does  not  say  that 
fasting  is  in  itself  wrong,  but  (1)  that,  being  an  expression 
of  sadness,  it  cannot  be  right  when  one  is  not  really  sad; 
and  (2)  that  while  he  is  with  his  disciples  this  is  to  them 

29 


30     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

have  the  bridegroom  with  them,  they  cannot  fast. 
But  the  days  will  come,  when  the  bridegroom  shall  20 
be  taken  away  from  them,  and  then  will  they  fast 
in  that  day.    No  man  seweth  a  piece  of  undressed  21 
cloth  on  an  old  garment:  else  that  which  should 
fill  it  up  taketh  from  it,  the  new  from  the  old, 
and  a  worse  rent  is  made.     And  no  man  putteth  22 
new  wine  into  old  wine-skins,  else  the  wine  will 
burst  the  skins,  and  the  wine  perisheth,  and  the 
skins:    but   they  put  new  wine  into  fresh  wine- 
skins. 


such  a  source  of  joy  as  excludes  fasting.  Vs.  20,  "  the 
bridegroom  will  be  taken  away  from  them":  These  words 
show  clearly  that  even  thus  early  in  his  ministry  Jesus 
was  expecting  that  later  he  would  be  taken  away;  probably 
he  already  foresaw  that  he  would  be  put  to  death.  Then 
the  disciples  would  have  real  occasion  for  real  sorrow.  Vs. 
21,  "undressed  cloth":  cloth  that  has  not  been  shrunk. 
When  the  patch  of  cloth  shrinks  it  becomes  too  small  to 
cover  the  rent  or  tear  in  the  garment  and,  drawing  itself 
away  from  the  old  cloth  to  which  it  was  sewed,  makes  a 
new  and  larger  hole  than  before.  Vs.  22,  "wine-skins": 
Bottles  were  made  of  the  skins  of  goats.  When  the  bottles 
were  old,  the  skins,  having  lost  the  power  to  stretch,  were 
not  strong  enough  to  stand  the  pressure  caused  by  the 
fermenting  of  new  wine.  In  these  illustrations  the  gospel 
which  Jesus  preached  is  the  undressed  cloth  and  the  new 
wine;  the  religion  of  the  Pharisees  is  the  old  garment  and 
the  old  wine-bottles.  They  show  that  it  is  impossible  to 
bind  the  gospel  to  the  old  forms  of  the  Jewish  religion,  and 
that  it  must  be  expected  and  allowed  to  express  itself  in 
new  ways. 


Jesus'  Answer  concerning  Fasting     31 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  What  does  vs.  18  show  as  to  whether  all  the 
disciples  of  John  became  followers  of  Jesus  ?  (2)*  How 
often  did  the  Pharisees  (some  at  least  of  them)  fast? 
(3)*  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  reason  that  Jesus  gives 
(vs.  19)  for  his  disciples  not  fasting?  (4)*  What  does 
Jesus'  answer  indicate  as  to  the  need  of  sincerity  in  all 
religious  ohservances  and  the  value  of  forms  that  do 
not  express  a  real  state  of  heart?  (5)  To  what  time 
does  Jesus  refer  in  vs.  20 — to  the  days  between  his 
crucifixion  and  his  resurrection,  or  to  the  days  after  his 
ascension  (see  John  16  16, 19, 20, 22 .  Matt.  28  20)?  (6)  Is 
Jesus  continually  with  his  disciples  now  (except  as 
they  lose  his  presence  through  sin);  and,  if  so,  is  there 
any  place  for  a  fast  set  for  a  certain  day  or  certain  days 
in  the  year?  (7)  Is  fasting  appropriate  as  an  expres- 
sion of  sorrow  because  of  the  loss  of  Christ's  presence 
through  sin?  (8)  Ought  all  the  days  of  a  Christian  to 
be  days  of  sorrow  or  days  of  joy?  Notice  vs.  19,  and 
compare  John  14  27 ;  16  22.  (9)  What  is  the  "  undressed  " 
cloth  and  why  does  it  tear  the  old  garment  ?  What  are 
the  old  wine-skins,  and  why  does  the  new  wine  burst 
them?  (10)*  What  does  Jesus  teach  in  these  two 
illustrations  about  the  possibility  of  patching  together 
(as  John's  cliGciples  were  trying  to  do)  the  old  Pharisee- 
ism  and  tho  new  gospel  ?  What  about  the  necessity  of 
the  new  spirit  of  the  gospel  finding  its  own  forms  of 
expression?  (11)*  What  does  he  teach  in  this  whole 
section  to  be  the  more  important,  form  or  spirit,  in 
religion?  Which  of  these  ought  to  determine  the 
other? 


1  Gr.  began  to 
make  their 
way  plucking. 


SECTION  XI 
PLUCKING  GRAIN  ON  THE  SABBATH,  2:23-28 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that  he  was  going  on  the  23 
sabbath  day  through  the  cornfields;  and  his  dis- 
ciples ^  began,  as  they  went,  to  pluck  the  ears  of 
corn.     And  the  Pharisees  said  unto  him.  Behold,  24 
why  do  they  on  the  sabbath  day  that  which  is  not 
lawful  ?     And  he  said  unto  ^them,  Did  ye  never  25 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  23,  "cornfields":  better,  "fields  of  grain,"  probably 
of  wheat.  This  would  make  the  month  May  or  June. 
Paths  frequently  run  through  grain-fields  in  Palestine. 
"Pluck  the  ears  of  corn":  better,  "pull  the  heads  of  grain." 
Vs.  24,  "why  do  they  on  the  sabbath  day  that  which  is 
not  lawful?":  It  was  the  violation  of  the  law  of  the  sab- 
bath|  as  they  interpreted  it  that  offended  them.  The 
plucking  and  eating  of  the  grain  on  another  day  would  not 
have  disturbed  them.  Vs.  25,  "what  David  did":  see 
1  Sam.  211-6.  Vs.  26,  "house  of  God":  the  tabernacle, 
the  temple  not  having  yet  been  built  in  David's  day. 
"Shewbread"!:  For  David,  who  was  not  a  priest,  to  eat 
this  was  contrary  to  the  law,  but  Jesus  implies  that  his 
need  made  it  right  for  him  to  do  so;  and  he  argues  that  if 
human  need  justifies  one  in  disregarding  a  technical 
requirement  like  that  about  the  shewbread,  it  will  also 
justify  neglect  of  the  technical  law  against  labor  on  the 
sabbath.  Jesus  does  not  say  that  the  same  principle 
would  apply  as  against  a  purely  moral  requirement,  such 
as  the  law  of  honor  to  parents,  truthfulness,  honesty,  etc. 
Vs.  27,  "the  sabbath  was  made  for  man":  appointed 
by  God  foreman's  good,  not  laid  upon  him  as  a  burden  to 
whi^h^man^'s,^^  Vs.  28,  "  the  Son  of 


Plucking  Grain  on  the  Sabbath     33 


read  what  David  did,  when  he  had  need,  and  was 
an  hungered,  he,  and  they  that  were  with  him? 

26  How  he  entered  into  the  house  of  God  Vhen 
Abiathar  was  high  priest,  and  did  eat  the  shew- 
bread,  which  it  is  not  lawful  to  eat  save  for  the 

.  priests,   and  gave   also    to  them    that  were  with 

27  him?     And  he  said  unto  them,  The  sabbath  was 

28  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  sabbath:  so 
that  the  Son  of  man  is  lord  even  of  the  sabbath. 


2  Some   ancient 
manuscripts 
read  in   the 
days  of  Abia- 
thar the  high 
priest 


man|  is  lord  even  of  the  sabbath":  Because  the  day  was 
made  for  man  it  belongs  to  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  man  — 
the  true  man  who  perfectly  understands  man's  needs  and 
God's  will  concerning  man  —  to  determine  how  it  shall  be 
useSTfor  the  good  of  man.  Hence  Jesus  is  our  best  teacher, 
our  authoritative  lord,  to  tell  us  how  to  keep  the  sabbath, 
and  to  have  his  spirit  is  the  surest  way  of  using  it  aright. 


QUESTIONS 

(1)*  What  is  meant  by  the  word  "cornfields"? 
About  what  time  of  the  year  was  this  ?  (2)  Was  such 
plucking  of  heads  of  grain  and  eating  them  forbidden 
or  permitted  by  the  Jewish  law  (Deut.  23  2^)?  (3)  Why 
did  the  Pharisees  object  to  it  ?  How  many  kinds  of 
labor  would  they  find  in  the  act  of  the  disciples'? 
(4)  State  wherein  David's  case  was  like  that  of  Jesus' 
disciples.  (5)*  What  does  Jesus  imply  in  vss.  25,  26 
as  to  the  relative  claims  of  human  need  and  the  sacred- 
ness  of  tim.es  and  places,  such  as  the  sabbath  and  the 
temple?  Can  we  infer  that  he  regards  it  as  more  im- 
portant to  satisfy  legitimate  human  need  than  even  to 
regard  the  sacredness  of  these  things?    (6)  Does  this 


34     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

justify  necessary  cooking,  keeping  up  fires,  and  other 
like  labor  on  the  sabbath?  (7)  Does  it  imply  that  the 
day  has  no  sacredness,  so  that  we  may  do  anything 
whatever  on  the  sabbath?  (8)*  What  great  principle 
respecting  the  sabbath  does  Jesus  state  in  vs.  27?  (9) 
If  the  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  ought  it  to  continue 
as  long  as  man  continues?  (10)  And  if  it  was  made 
for  man,  can  there  be  any  higher  law  for  its  use  than  to 
seek  to  use  every  sabbath  so  that  it  will  accomplish 
most  for  the  good  of  men,  women,  and  children?  (11) 
What  does  Jesus  say  in  vs.  28  about  his  own  relation  to 
the  sabbath?  (12)  In  view  of  this,  can  there  be  any 
higher  rule  for  the  sabbath  than  to  use  it  in  his  spirit 
and  in  his  service?  Is  this  a  different  rule  from  that 
suggested  in  question  10?  (13)*  Sum  up  Jesus'  teach- 
ing about  the  sabbath  in  this  section. 


PLOWING   IN   PALESTINE 


SECTION  XII 

A  WITHERED  HAND  HEALED  ON  THE  SABBATH, 

3:1-6 

1  And  he  entered  again  into  the  synagogue; 
and  there  was  a  man  there  which  had  his  hand 

2  withered.  And  they  watched  him,  whether  he 
would  heal  him   on   the  sabbath  day;  that  they 

3  might  accuse  him.     And  he  saith  unto  the  man 

4  that  had  his  hand  withered,  Stand  forth.  And  he 
saith  unto  them,  Is  it  lawful  on  the  sabbath  day 
to  do  good,  or  to  do  harm  ?  to  save  a  life,  or  to  kill  ? 

5  But  they  held  their  peace.  And  when  he  had 
looked  round  about  on  them  with  anger,  being 
grieved  at  the  hardening  of  their  heart,  he  saith 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "entered  again  into  the  synagogue"!:  probably 
in  Capernaum  ;  c/.  2 1.  "Hand  withered":  probably  a  sort 
of  paralysis.  Vs.  2,  "that  they  might  accuse  him":  1  e., 
of  breaking  the  sabbath|.  Vs.  4,  "  is  it  lawful  on  the  sab- 
bath day  to  do  good  or  to  do  harm?  ":  Evidently,  in  Jesus' 
thought,  to  neglect  an  opportunity  to  do  good  to  one  who 
needs  it  is  the  same  as  to  do  him  harm.  Vs.  5,  "looked 
round  about  upon  them  with  anger":  with  indignation 
that  they  were  so  unmerciful  to  men  and  so  blind  to  the 
truth.  Such  anger  good  men  can  but  feel  toward  wicked 
men  —  such  anger  God  must  feel.  But  we  ought  never  to 
confuse  it  with  hatred  and  desire  to  injure.  God  loves 
those  with  whom  he  is  angry,  and  Jesus  died  for  sinful 
men,  whose  sin  made  him  indignant.     "Being  grieved"; 

35 


36     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

unto  the  man,  Stretch  forth  thy  hand.     And  he 
stretched  it   forth:    and   his  hand  was    restored. 
And   the    Pharisees    went   out,   and    straightway  q 
with  the  Herodians  took  counsel  against  him,  how 
they  might  destroy  him. 

The  word  denotes  a  compassionate  grief,  one  that  mingles 
love  for  the  sinner  with  pain  because  of  his  sin.  "At  the 
hardening  of  their  hearts":  not  simply  hardness;  their 
hearts  were  growing  harder  (read  again  the  whole  story 
from  2  1  on  to  this  point),  less  compassionate  in  feeling, 
more  blind  to  truth.  Is  anything  more  saddening  to  God 
than  to  see  men  thus  growing  more  hard-hearted? 

QUESTIONS 
X  (1)*  Where  did  the  incident  related  in  3^-^  take 
place?  On  what  day?  (2)  How  did  the  Pharisees 
look  upon  the  healing  of  disease  on  the  sabbath?  f  (3) 
What  does  the  question  of  Jesus  in  vs.  4  imply  as  to 
what  he  thought  about  doing  deeds  of  mercy,  including 
the  curing  of  sickness,  on  the  sabbath  ?  (4)  What  did 
he  think  about  neglecting  to  help  a  man  who  was  in 
need?  Does  he  class  this  as  doing  good  or  as  doing 
harm?  Did  he  think  that  only  extreme  and  urgent 
need  should  be  relieved  on  the  sabbath,  or  did  he  do 
good  as  he  had  opportunity?  (5)  What  answer  did  the 
Jews  give  to  Jesus' question?  Why?  (6)*  With  what 
feeling  did  Jesus  look  at  them?  Did  this  feeling  in- 
clude hatred  and  desire  to  injure  them?  (7)*  What 
other  feeling  mingled  with  Jesus'  anger?  Describe 
this  other  feeling.  (8)  What  do  the  statements  here 
made  (vs.  5)  about  Jesus'  feeling  toward  these  men 
suggest  as  to  how  God,  being  good  and  holy,  must  feel 
toward  those  who  sin  ?  (9)*  What  was  it  that  called  forth 


Healing  on  the  Sabbath  37 

Jesus'  anger  and  compassion  ?  Notice  the  word  care- 
fully and  think  just  what  it  means.  (10)  If  the  harden- 
ing of  men's  hearts  calls  forth  the  grief  and  anger  of 
Jesus,  what  does  this  imply  as  to  the  sinfulness  of  such 
hardening?  (11)  How  can  we  avoid  being  in  the  posi- 
tion of  these  Pharisees?  (12)  What  did  Jesus  say  to 
the  man  v/ho  had  the  withered  hand?  (13)  What  did 
the  man  do?  (14)  What  did  the  Pharisees  do?  (15)* 
What  does  this  incident  teach  about  the  character  of 
Jesus  ? 

PREVIEW  QUESTIONS 

(All  review  questions  should  be  answered  in  writing.) 

(1)  Notice  that  in  all  the  events  narrated  in  chap.  2 
and  31-6  the  Pharisees  are  criticising  Jesus.  Name  in 
order  the  things  for  which  they  found  fault  with  him. 
(2)  Give  Jesus'  answer  to  each  of  their  criticisms.  (3) 
Did  Jesus'  answers  diminish  their  hostility,  or  did  it 
increase  to  the  end?  (4)  What  did  they  finally  resolve 
to  do  (36)?  (5)  What  is  it  that  is  referred  to  in  3 5  as 
causing  Jesus'  anger  and  grief?  (6)  What  do  these 
facts  suggest  as  to  the  effect  of  resisting  truth?  (7) 
Among  what  class  of  people  has  Jesus  thus  far  made 
friends  in  Galilee?  (8)  Among  whom  has  he  made 
enemies  ? 


SECTION  XIII 
THE  WIDESPREAD  FAME  OF  JESUS,  3:7-12 

And  Jesus  with  his  disciples  withdrew  to  the  7 
sea:  and  a  great  multitude  from  Galilee  followed: 
and  from  Judaea,  and  from  Jerusalem,  and  from  8 
Idumaea,  and  beyond  Jordan,  and  about  Tyre  and 
Sidon,    a    great    multitude,  hearing    what   great 
things  he  did,  came  unto  him.  ^  And  he  spake  to  9 
his  disciples,  that  a  little  boat  should  wait  on  him 

1  press  hard    bccause  of    the  crowd,  lest  they  should  Hhrong: 

upon  '>  <-' 

him :   for  he  had  healed  many ;  insomuch  that  as  10 

2  diseases;  Gr.  mauv  as  had  '^plagues  pressed  upon  him  that  they 

scourges  ''  i        O  i  1  J 

might  touch  him.    And  the  unclean  spirits,  when-  1] 
soever  they  beheld  him,  fell  down  before  him  and 
cried,  saying.  Thou  art  the  Son  of  God.     And  he   12 
charged  them  much  that  they  should  not  make 
him  known. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  7,  "  with  his  disciples  ":  See  also  vs.  9;  though  the 
Twelve  had  not  yet  been  chosen,  Jesus  had  a  company  of 
disciples,  pupils,  who  went  with  him  from  place  to  place. 
"The  sea":  i.  e.,  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  "From  Galilee  .... 
and  from  Jerusalem":  On  Galilee,  Judea,  Jerusalem, 
Idumea,  Jordan,  Tyre,  Sidon,  see  dictionary,  also  the  map. 
Notice  that  the  territories  here  spoken  of  "include  all  of 
Palestine  except  Samaria,  and  also  the  regions  south  and 
north  of  Palestine.  These  verses  show  how  far  Jesus  w^as 
known  at  this  time.  Vs.  9,  "throng  him":  In  crowding 
about  Jesus  someone  might  be  crushed.    Vs.  11,  "  whenso- 

38 


The  Widespread  Fame  of  Jesus      39 

ever  they  beheld  him,  fell  down  before  him,"  etc.:  The 
demons,  i.  e.,  the  demoniacs,  are  always  said  to  have  done 
this,  except  when  they  were  dumb  or  at  a  distance.  "  Son 
of  God  "t:  C/.  124. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  sea  is  referred  to  in  3  "^  ?  (2)*  Where  are 
these  various  regions  named  in  vss.  7,  81  (3)*  What 
do  these  verses  imply  as  to  the  extent  of  Jesus'  reputa- 
tion at  this  time!  (4)  For  what  purpose  did  Jesus 
desire  a  boat?  (5)  Do  vss.  11,  12  refer  to  a  single 
occasion  or  to  what  happened  again  and  again?  (6) 
Has  anyone  besides  the  demoniacs  been  reported  up  to 
this  point  in  the  gospel  as  recognizing  Jesus  as  the  Son 
of  God? 


1  Some  ancient 
manuscripts 
ad<i  whotn.  also 
he  named 
apostles.    See 
Luke  6:13 


f 


SECTION  XIV 
THE  CHOOSING   OF  THE  TWELVE,  3: 13-19 

And    he    goeth    up    into    the    mountain,    and  13 
calleth   unto   him  whom   he  himself  would:  and 
they  went  unto  him.     And  he  appointed  twelve/  14 
that  they  might  be  with  him,  and  that  he  might 
send  them  forth  to  preach,  and  to  have  authority  15 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  13,  "  unto  the  mountain  ":  better,  perhaps,  "  on  the 
hills,"  i.  e.,  the  hills  that  bordered  on  the  sea.  It  is  not 
certain  which  hills  they  were.  Vs.  14,  "and  he  appointed 
twelve,  that  they  might  be  with  him,"  etc.:  often 
called  apostles  (Luke  6 13).  Notice  the  purpose  for  which 
they  were  chosen:  they  were  to  be  his  companions  and 
pupils,  and  his  helpers  in  the  work  of  the  kingdom.  "That 
he  might  send  them  forth  ":  not  once  only,  but  from  time 
toTtime.  Vs.  15,  "to  cast  out  devils  (demons)":  as  Jesus 
himself  was  doing.  Vss.  16-19:  Compare  the  lists  in  Matt. 
10  2-4;  Luke  6  12-19;  Acts  1 13,  Noticc  that  the  names  in  each 
list  are  in  three  groups  of  four  names  each,  the  four  fisher- 
men always  composing  the  first  group;  the  second  group 
begins  with  Philip  and  the  third  with  James. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  To  what  place  did  Jesus  withdraw  when  he  was 
about  to  choose  the  Twelve  (vs.  13)?  (2)*  By  what 
title  are  these  Twelve  usually  spoken  of?  (3)*  For 
what  purposes  did  Jesus  choose  the  Twelve  (vss.  14, 15)? 
(4)  How  were  they  to  be  prepared  to  be  sent  out  as  his 
preachers?  (5)  Learn  the  list  of  the  twelve  apostles. 
(6)  How  many  of  these  twelve  have  been  previously 

40 


The  Choosing  of  the  Twelve        41 

16  to  cast  out  Mevils:  and  Simon  he  surnamed  Peter; 

17  and  James  the  son  of  Zebedee,  and  John  the 
brother  of  James;  and  them  he  surnamed  Boa- 

18  nerges,  which  is,  Sons  of  Thunder:  and  Andrew, 
and  Philip,  and  Bartholomew,  and  Matthew,  and 
Thomas,   and    James    the    son    of    Alphseus,   and 

19  ThaddsBus,  and  Simon  the  ^Canansean,  and  Judas 
Iscariot,  which  also  betrayed  him. 

mentioned  in  this  gospel  ?  (7)*  Make  a  list  of  the 
events  of  Jesus'  Galilean  ministry  from  1 1-^  down  to  3  c, 
and  if  possible  commit  it  lo  memory.  (8)*  Place  in 
parallel  columns  this  list  of  the  apostles,  that  in  Matt. 
102-i,  that  in  Luke  6i2-i9,  and  that  in  Acts  1 13,  and  draw 
lines  across,  connecting  corresponding  names. 


3  Or,  Zealot. 
See  I.uke  6:15; 
Acts  1 ;  13 


3  demons 


SECTION  XV 
CONCERNING  ETERNAL  SIN,  3:20-30 

And  he  cometh  ^into  a  house.     And  the  multi-  20 
tude  cometh  together  again,  so  that  they  could 
not  so  much  as  eat  bread.     And  when  his  friends  21 
heard  it,  they  went  out  to  lay  hold  on  him  :  for 
they  said.  He  is  ^beside  himself.    And  the  scribes  22 
which  came  down  from  Jerusalem  said,  He  hath 
Beelzebub,  and,  By  the  prince  of  the  Mevils  cast- 
eth  he  out  the  Mevils.     And  he  called  them  unto  23 
him,  and  said  unto  them  in  parables.  How  can 
Satan   cast  out    Satan?     And    if   a   kingdom   be  24 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  20,  "into  a  house":  See  the  margin.  Vs.  21,  "his 
friends"-:  i.  e.,  his  relatives.  "He  is  beside  himself":  See 
margin.  Vs.  22,  "scribes "f:  See  dictionary.  " Beelzebubf 
.  .  .  .  the  prince  of  the  demons "f:  The  scribes  said  that 
Jesus,  being  possessed  of  the  prince  of  demons,  could  con- 
trol the  demons.  Jesus  replies  that  it  is  absurd  to  sup- 
pose that  Satan  would  thus  work  against  himself.  Rather, 
if  he  is  casting  out  the  demons  of  which  Satan  is  prince, 
then  he  is  stronger  than  Satan  and  is  spoiling  his  house. 
Vs.  29,  '-blaspheme!  against  the  Holy  Spirit  "|:  literally  to 
speak  evil  against  the  Holy  Spirit;  but  the  words  of  Jesus 
are  probably  intended  to  describe  a  deliberate  and  perma- 
nent attitude  of  opposition  to  the  Spirit  of  God.  "  Hath 
never  forgiveness"!:  shall  never  be  forgiven.  "An  eternal 
sin":  The  natural  meaning  of  these  words  is  not  simply  a 
sin  the  consequences  of  which  continue  forever,  but  one 

42 


Concerning  Eternal  Sin  43 

divided  against  itself,  that  kingdom  cannot  stand. 

25  And  if   a  house   be   divided   against   itself,   that 

26  house  will  not  be  able  to  stand.  And  if  Satan 
hath  risen  up  against  himself,  and  is  divided,  he 

27  cannot  stand,  but  hath  an  end.  But  no  one  can 
enter  into  the  house  of  the  strong  wan,  and  spoil 
his  goods,  except  he  first  bind  the  strong  man; 

28  and  then  he  will  spoil  his  house.  Yerily  I  say 
unto  you.  All  their  sins  shall  be  forgiven  unto  the 
sons  of   men,   and   their  blasphemies  wherewith 

29  soever  they  shall  blaspheme:  but  whosoever  shall 
blaspheme  against  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  never  for- 

30  giveness,  but  is  guilty  of  an  eternal  sin:  because 
they  said.  He  hath  an  unclean  spirit. 


which  itself  lasts  forever,  and  this  is  probably  what  Jesus 
meant  by  them  —  a  sinful  attitude  of  heart  toward  the 
Spirit  of  God  which  is  fixed  and  will  continue  always.  And 
this  explains  why  this  sin  (and  this  only)  can  never  be  for- 
given. A  holy  God  can  never  cease  to  disapprove  and  be 
displeased  with  one  who  is  still  in  sin. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  other  meaning  may  the  words  "into  a 
house"  in  vs.  20  have?  (2)*  To  what  city  does  this 
statement  refer?  (3)  Who  are  meant  by  "his  friends" 
in  vs.  21?  (4)  What  was  there  in  Jesus'  conduct  that 
could  lead  his  relatives  to  think  he  was  insane?  Have 
other  men  who  devoted  themselves  with  enthusiasm  to 
the  good  of  others  and  who  departed  from  ordinary 
ways  of  working  been  regarded  as  crazy?    (5)*  What 


44     The  Gospel  according  to  Maek 

motive  might  his  relatives  have  had  for  calling  him 
insane,  even  if  they  did  not  think  so?  (6)  How  did  the 
scribes  explain  his  casting  out  demons?  (7)*  How 
does  Jesus  prove  to  them  that  he  cannot  be  casting  out 
demons  by  Satan's  power?  Explain  his  argument  in 
vss.  24,  25,  26.  (8)  Who  is  the  strong  man,  and  who 
the  stronger  one,  in  vs.  27  ?  (9)  What,  then,  does  he 
say  is  the  only  explanation  of  the  fact,  if,  as  they  ad- 
mit, he  is  casting  out  demons  that  belong  to  Satan's 
kingdom?  (10)*  What  one  sin  does  Jesus  say  is  the 
only  one  that  cannot  be  forgiven  t  (11)*  Why  can  an 
eternal  sin  never  be  forgiven?  (12)  Does  Jesus  then 
teach  that  God  would  ever  refuse  to  forgive  a  repentant 
sinner?  (13)  Does  vs.  30  mean  that  the  scribes  had 
already  committed  this  eternal  sin,  or  that  their  attrib- 
uting of  the  work  of  the  divine  spirit  in  Jesus  to  Satan 
showed  them  to  be  in  danger  of  it?  (14)  Consider  care- 
fully what  estimate  of  the  seriousness  of  sin  Jesus' 
language  in  this  passage  implies. 


SECTION  XVI 
NATURAL  AND  SPIRITUAL  KINSMEN,  3:31-35 

31  And  there  come  his  mother  and  his  brethren; 
and,  standing  without,  they  sent  unto  him,  calling 

32  him.     And  a  multitude  was  sitting  about  him; 
and  they  say  unto  him,  Behold,  thy  mother  and 

33  thy  brethren  without  seek  for  thee.     And  he  an- 
swereth  them,  and  saith,  Who  is  my  mother  and 

31  my  brethren  ?    And  looking  round  on  them  which 

sat  round  about  him,  he  saith,  Behold,  my  mother 
35  and    my  brethren !     For  whosoever  shall  do  the 

will  of  God,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister, 

and  mother. 

__  5 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  31,  "  his  brethren  ":  For  their  names  see  Mark  6  3;  j 
cf.  321.  "Sent  unto  him,  calling  him":  Whether  Jesus  j' 
went  or  not,  the  narrative  does  not  tell.  The  interest  of 
the  writer  is  in  the  lesson  which  Jesus  took  occasion  from 
the  event  to  teach,  viz.,  that  for  him  the  closest  ties  were 
not  those  of  blood,  but  of  fellowship  in  doing  the  will  of 
God.  Those  that  lived  by  his  rule  of  life,  obedience  to  the. 
heavenly  Father,  were  his  brethren. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  What  were  the  names  of  the  members  of  Jesus' 
family  spoken  of  in  vs.  31  ?  (2)  In  view  of  the  state- 
ment in  vs.  21,  what  was  the  probable  motive  of  Jesus' 
kindred  in  sending  for  him  as  related  in  vs.  31  ?  (3)* 
Does  Jesus'  question  (vs.  33)  imply  contempt  of  his 

45 


46     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

relatives  ?  If  not,  what  does  it  imply  ?  (4)  According 
to  the  teaching  of  Jesus  (vs.  35),  whom  does  he  count 
as  his  real  kinsmen,  those  who  are  related  to  him  by 
blood  or  those  who,  like  himself,  do  God's  will  ?  (5) 
Which  is  the  more  important  relation  to  Jesus?  (6) 
Will  a  right  relation  to  God  lessen  oui"  love  to  earthly 
friends  or  kindred?  (7)  Might  it  sometimes  require  us 
to  please  and  serve  God  at  the  cost  of  displeasing 
earthly  friends? 


SECTION  xvir 

THE  PARABLES  OF  THE  KINGDOM'S  GROWTH,  IN 
WHICH  IS  ALSO  ILLUSTRATED  ITS  SEPARAT- 
ING POWER,  4:1-34 

A.    The  Parable  of  the  Sower,  4  : 1-20 

1  And  again  he  began  to  teach  by  the  sea  side. 
And  there  is  gathered  unto  him  a  very  great  mul- 
titude, so  that  he  entered  into  a  boat,  and  sat  in 
the  sea ;  and  all  the  multitude  were  by  the  sea  on 

2  the  land.  And  he  taught  them  many  things  -in 
parables,  and  said  unto    them    in   his    teaching, 

3  ^Hearken:    Behold,  the  sower  went  forth  to  sow: 

4  and  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  sowed,  some  seed  fell  by 
the  way  side,  and  the  birds  came  and  devoured  it. 

5  And  other  fell  on  the  rocky  ground,  where  it  had 
not   much   earth;  and  straightway  it  sprang  up, 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "  sea  ":  the  Sea  of  GaUlee.t  Vs.  2,  "  parables  "  j: 
Though  Jesus  had  already  used  brief  parabolic  expressions, 
which  are  in  effect  condensed  parables  (2  19-22;  3  27),  the 
first  full  parables  which  the  gospels  record  are  those  in  this 
chapter.  In  all  his  parables  Jesus  uses  an  experience  or 
scene  familiar  tolbLis^l-eaders,  to  teach  a  truth  concerning 
the  spiritual  life.  To  understand  them  we  must  first  get 
clearly  before  us  the  event  or  scene  of  which  the  parable 
presents  a  picture.  After  that  we  are  prepared  to  recog- 
nize the  spiritual  truth  which  the  picture  is  intended  to 
suggest.  Vs.  4,  "  wayside  ":  a  hard  foot-path  running  along 
or  through  the  field,  and  not,  as  is  usually  the  case  with  us, 
fenced  off  from  it.  Vs.  5,  "  rocky  ground  ":  ground  where 
the  soil  lies  thin  over  a  ledge  of  rock.    Vs.  7,  "thorns": 

47 


48      The  Gospel  acooeding  to  Mark 


ir#^''^&iaa 


SOWER   SOWING   SEED 


Parables  of  the  Kingdom's  Growth     49 

6  because  it  had  no  deepness  of  earth :  and  when  the 
sun  was  risen,  it  was  scorched ;  and  because  it  had 

7  no  root,  it  withered  away.  And  other  fell  among 
the  thorns,  and  the  thorns  grew  up,  and  choked  it, 

8  and  it  yielded  no  fruit.  And  others  fell  into  the 
good  ground,  and  yielded  fruit,  growing  up  and 
increasing;    and    brought    forth,   thirtyfold,    and 

9  sixty  fold,  and  a  hundredfold.  And  he  said^  Who 
hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear. 

10         And  when  he  was  alone,  they  that  were  about 

thorny  bushes  growing  on  the  edge  of  the  field,  like  a 
hedge.  Vs.  8,  "yielded  fruit":  produced  a  crop.  "Thirty- 
fold":  thirty  times  as  much  as  the  seed  that  was  planted. 
Notice  that  the  fact  about  sowing  and  reaping  grain  which 
Jesus  emphasizes  is  that  the  character  of  the  soil  on  which 
the  grain  is  sown  greatly  affects  the  character  of  the  har- 
vests. The  use  that  he  means  to  make  of  this  fact  of  agri- 
culture will  appear  a  little  later. 

Vs.  11,  "  Unto  you  is  given  to  know  the  mystery  of  the 
kingdom  of  God"t:  The  parables  were  intended  by  Jesus 
to  teach  his  disciples  certain  truths  about  the  kingdom 
of  God  —  truths  which  were  hidden  from  other  people. 
Vs.  12,  "that  seeing  they  may  see,  and  not  perceive;  and 
hearing  they  may  hear,  and  not  understand":  The  people 
heard  the  parable,  understood  the  words  and  their  mean- 
ing as  applied  to  agriculture;  but  did  not  perceive  the 
truth  about  spiritual  things  Jesus  intended  to  convey  to  his 
disciples;  and  this  w^as  what  Jesus  intended  should  happen. 
It  was  not  yet  time  to  tell  the  people  generally  all  that  his 
disciples  needed  to  know.  "  Lest  haply  they  should  turn 
again,  and  it  should  be  forgiven  them":  lest  they  should 
change  their  minds  {i.  e.,  accept  the  gospel  message)  and  be 
forgiven.    These  seem  to  us  very  strange  words  ;  but  they 


50     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

him  with  the  twelve  asked  of  him  the  parables. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  Unto  you  is  given  the  11 
mystery  of  the  kingdom  of  God:  but  unto  them 
that  are  without,  all  things  are  done  in  parables: 
that  seeing  they  may  see,  and  not  perceive;  and   12 
hearing  they  may  hear,  and  not  understand ;  lest 
haply  they  should  turn  again,  and  it  should   be 
forgiven  them.     And  he  saitli  unto  them.  Know  13 
ye  not  this  parable  ?  and  how  shall  ye  know  all  the 
parables?     The    sower   soweth    the    word.     And  14, 15 
these  are  they  by  the  way  side,  where  the  word  is 
sown;   and  when    they    have    heard,  straightway 
Cometh  Satan,  and  taketh  away  the  word  which 
hath    been   sown    in    them.     And    these    in    like  16 

can  mean  only  that  Jesus  did  not  desire  that  at  this  time 
great  numbers  of  "  those  that  are  without "  should  attach 
themselves  to  him.  It  would  have  been  possible  for  him 
to  present  his  message  in  so  attractive  a  way  that  great 
numbers  would  have  joined  the  company  of  his  disciples, 
though  doubtless  without  a  real  and  deep  sympathy  with 
him.  He  judged  it  better  so  to  teach  that  he  should  win  a 
smaller  number,  and  little  by  little  to  explain  to  them  the 
"  mysteries  "  of  the  Kingdom.  Yet  he  did  not  arbitrarily 
deny  the  truth  to  some  and  give  it  to  others.  He  chose  the 
course  that  in  the  end  would  save  the  most;  and  those  from 
whom  he  concealed  the  truth  (those  'that  are  without") 
were  themselves  to  blame  that  they  were  in  such  a  state 
of  heart  that  Jesus  could  not  wisely  tell  them  the  whole 
truth  at  this  time.  The  following  verses  (14-20)  tell  what 
each  element  of  the  parable  represents,  and  all  serve  to 
emphasize  the  truth  that  in  the  "kingdom  of  God,"  in  the 
work  of  bringing  men  into  the  condition  in  which  God 


Parables  of  the  Kingdom's  Growth     51 

manner  are  they  that  are  sown  upon  the  rocky 
places,  who,  when    they    have    heard    the   word, 

17  straightway  receive  it  with  joy ;  and  they  have  no 
root  in  themselves,  but  endnre  for  a  while ;  then, 
when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because  of 

18  the  word,  straightway  they  stumble.  And  others 
are  they  that  are  sown  among  the  thorns;  these 

19  are  they  that  have  heard  the  word,  and  the  cares 

of  the  ^ world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  and       iot.age 
the  lusts  of  other  things  entering  in,  choke  the 

20  word,  and  it  becometh  unfruitful.  And  those  are 
they  that  were  sown  upon  the  good  ground;  such 
as  hear  the  word,  and  accept  it,  and  bear  fruit, 
thirtyfold,  and  sixtyfold,  and  a  hundredfold. 

desires  them  to  be,  the  result  of  the  preaching  of  the  truth 
will  not  always  be  the  same,  but  will  vary  according  to  the 
state  of  heart  of  those  who  hear.  The  application  of  this 
truth  is  first  of  all  to  the  disciples  (see  vss.  11, 12).  The 
seed  of  the  kingdom  of  God  is  to  be  sown  in  hope  ;  for  it 
will  fall  into  some  good  soil.  Yet  the  disciples  must  be 
prepared  for  disappointment  also  and  seeming  failure;  for 
there  are  men  whose  hearts  are  not  yet  ready  to  receive  it. 
This  Jesus  himself  had  already  found  to  be  true  in  his  own 
preaching. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)  What  sea  is  referred  to  in  vs.  1?  Picture  to 
yourself  the  scene  here  described.  (2)*  What  is  a 
parable?  (3)  What  is  the  first  thing  to  be  done  in  the 
study  of  a  parable  ?  (4)  Make  sure  that  you  know  the 
meaning-  of  all  the  words  and  phrases  in  vss.  3-8;  then 
form  the  picture  in  your  mind  and  tell  the  story. 


52     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

(5)  Pass  over  for  the  moment  vss.  10-12,  and  take  up 
Jesus'  own  explanation  of  the  meaning  of  the  parable: 
What  does  he  say  the  sower  represents  ?  What  is  the 
seed  ?  What  in  general  do  the  different  kinds  of  soil 
represent?  (6)  What  kind  of  people  are  represented 
by  the  wayside?  W^hat  kind  by  the  stony  ground? 
What  kind  by  the  thorny  ground?  What  kind  by  the 
good  ground?  (7)  By  describing  different  kinds  of 
soil  with  correspondingly  different  results  from  the 
sowing  of  the  same  seed,  what  does  Jesus  teach  his 
disciples  to  expect  as  the  result  of  the  preaching  of  the 
word?  Will  everybody  accept  it?  Will  all  seeming 
results  last  ?  (8)*  How  had  the  results  of  Jesus'  own 
preaching  corresponded  with  what  he  teaches  in  the 
parable?  (9)  How  was  it  in  the  teaching  of  the  apostles? 
How  is  it  today  ?  (10)  Is  the  difference  in  the  results 
due  to  a  defect  in  the  truth  or  to  the  difference  in  the 
hearts  of  those  that  hear  it?  (11)  Return  to  vs.  11: 
For  whom  was  the  truth  taught  by  the  parables  prima- 
rily intended?  Was  the  parable  of  the  sower  intended 
to  encourage  or  to  warn  the  disciples,  or  both?  (12)* 
Why  did  Jesus  teach  in  such  a  way  as  to  hide  the  truth 
from  some?  (13)  Whose  fault  was  it  that  they  were  not 
in  a  state  to  be  given  the  truth?  (14)  Can  we  go  on 
indefinitely  resisting  the  truth  and  expect  that  the 
truth  will  still  remain  open  to  us  so  that  we  can  accept 
it  at  any  time,  or  is  there  danger  that  the  truth  itself 
shall  some  time  be  hidden  from  us?  (15)  What,  then, 
is  our  duty  respecting  the  truth  we  now  know  ?  (]  6)* 
Write  out  the  parable  itself  from  memory;  then  write 
it  again,  substituting  for  the  seed,  and  the  various  kinds 
of  soil  the  things  which  they  represent. 


Parables  of  the  Kingdom's  Growth     53 

B.    The  Use  That  the  Disciples  Are  to  Make  of  the 
Parables,  4  :  21-25 

21  And  lie  said  unto  them,  Is  the  lamp  brought 
to  be  put  under  the  bushel,  or  under  the  bed,  a7id 

22  not  to  be  put  on  the  stand  ?  For  there  is  nothing 
hid,  save  that  it  should  be  manifested;  neither 
was  anything  made  secret,  but  that  it  should  come 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  21,  "lamp":  This  represents  the  truth  conveyed 
by  the  parable.  Its  purpose  is  to  give  light  to  men,  that 
they  may  see  the  path  of  right.  To  hide  it  is  as  absurd  as 
to  light  a  lamp  and  cover  it  up.  Vs.  22:  If  any  truth  is 
hidden  for  a  time  it  is  only  in  order  that  it  may  afterward 
be  made  known.  The  parable,  being  a  story  easy  to  remem- 
ber, preserves  (like  a  husk)  what  it  for  a  time  hides,  in 
order  that  later  it  may  come  to  light:  it  keeps  the  truth 
from  being  forgotten  until  it  can  be  understood.  Vs.  24, 
"  take  heed  what  ye  hear":  This  should  probably  be  trans- 
lated "  consider  what  ye  hear."  "  With  what  measure  ye 
measure,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you":  in  proportion  as 


An  earthenware  lamp  found  in  Palestine ;  shown  by  its  inscription 
to  have  been  intended  for  use  in  a  Christian  home.  The  inscription 
reads:  "  The  light  of  Christ  shines,  beautiful,  for  all." 


54     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

to  light.     If  any  man  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  23 
hear.     And  he  said  unto  them,  Take  heed  what  24 
ye  hear:  with  what  measure  ye  mete  it  shall  be 
measured  unto  you:  and  more  shall  be  given  unto 
you.     For  he  that  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given:  25 
and  he  that  hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken 
away  even  that  which  he  hath. 


you  consider  or  give  attention  to  th&  truth,  in  that  propor- 
tion it  shall  be  given  to  you.  "And  more  shall  be  given 
unto  you":  The  more  one  has  learned,  the  more  easily 
does  one  learn  more.  This  is  especially  true  in  moral 
teaching.  Vs.  25  states  the  general  principle  that  posses- 
sion of  truth  enables  one  to  acquire  more;  lack  of  it  hinders 
one  from  gaining  or  holding  what  is  within  his  reach. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  answer  is  expected  to  the  question,  vs.  21  ? 
(2)*  What  does  the  lamp  represent  in  Jesus'  thought? 
(3)  Notice  the  exact  sense  of  vs.  22  and  its  application 
to  the  parable.  (4)*  W^hat  does  this  imply  as  to  the 
duty  of  the  disciples  in  reference  to  the  parables,  when 
they  should  come  to  understand  them  ?  (5)  W^hat  does 
vs.  23  mean?  Compare  vs.  9.  (6)  How  does  the  teach- 
ing in  vs.  24  apply  to  the  parable?  How  to  truth  in 
general?  (7)  What  does  the  principle  of  vs.  25  mean? 
How  does  it  apply  to  the  gaining  of  truth  ? 


Parables  of  the  Kingdom's  Growth     55 

C.    The  Parable  of  the  Seed  Growing  of  Itself, 
4 :  26-29 

26  And  he  said,  So  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if 

27  a  man  should  cast  seed  upon  the  earth;  and  should 
sleep  and  rise  night  and  day,  and  the  seed  should 

28  spring  up  and  grow,  he  knoweth  not  how.  The 
earth  beareth  fruit  of  herself ;  first  the  blade,  then 

29  the  ear,  then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  But  when 
the  fruit  is  ripe,  straightway  he  putteth  forth  the 
sickle,  because  the  harvest  is  come. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  26,  'jMthe  kingdom  of  God  "  j:  This  is  the  subject  of 
all  these  parables.  See~note  on  vs.  11.  "  Cast  seed  upon 
the  earth":  sow  it,  scattering  it  by  hand,  as  was  the  cus- 
tom of  those  days.  Vs.  27,  "sleep  and  rise":  i.  e.,  go  about 
his  work  by  day  and  sleep  at  night,  leaving  the  seed  in  the 
earth  to  itself.  Vs.  28,  "of  herself":  better,  "of  itself." 
This  is  the  emphatic  thought.  The  farmer  sows  the  seed, 
but  the  earth  makes  it  grow  of  itself.  The  seed  and  the 
earth  are  made  for  one  another,  and  produce  a  harvest  by 
the  power  that  is  in  them,  not  by  anything  that  the  farmer 
puts  into  them.  "The  blade  ....  the  ear  ....  the  full 
corn  in  the  ear":  Grain,  such  as  wheat  or  barley,  is 
referred  to;  we  should  say  today,  "the  blade  (the  first  shoot 
that  shows  above  ground),  the  head,  the  ripe  grain  in  the 
head." 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Read  with  care  this  second  parable  of  the  seed, 
and  notice  what  characteristic  of  the  seed  and  the  earth 
is  here  specially  emphasized.  Compare  this  parable 
with  that  in  vss.  3-8  with  reference  to  this  point.     (2) 


56     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

What  two  duties  of  the  farmer  are  specially  mentioned 
in  this  parable  (vss.  26,  29)?  (3)*  What  power  neces- 
sary to  the  production  of  a  harvest  does  the  parable 
imply  that  the  farmer  cannot  furnish?  (4)*  Where  is 
this  necessary  power?  Would  it  be  of  any  use  to  sow 
the  seed  if  this  power  did  not  exist  ?  (5)*  Is  this  power 
exercised  on  seed  that  is  not  sown  in  the  ground?  (6) 
Because  of  the  existence  of  this  power  in  the  seed  and 
the  earth,  what  must  the  farmer  do  if  he  wishes  a  har- 
vest? Having  sown  the  seed,  what  must  he  do?  (7) 
Would  staying  awake  nights,  or  worrying  about  the 
seed,  make  it  grow?  (8)  Of  what  does  this  parable 
teach  us  the  nature  (vs.  26)?  (9)  What  does  the  seed 
represent?  What  does  the  soil  represent?  (10)*  What 
does  the  parable  teach  about  the  adaptedness  of  truth 
and  the  human  heart  to  one  another?  (11)  What  du- 
ties respecting  the  truth  are  here  shown  to  belong  to 
the  Christian  teacher?  What  limitation  of  his  duties 
is  implied?  (12)  Is  the  parable  one  of  encouragement 
or  warning,  or  both  ? 


Parables  of  the  Kingdom's  Growth     57 

D.    The  Parable  of  the  Mustard  Seed,  4:30-34 

30  And  he  said,  How  shall  we  liken  the  kingdom 
of  God  ?  or  in  what  parable  shall  we  set  it  forth  ? 

31  It  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  which,  when  it 
is  sown  upon  the  earth,  though  it  be  less  than  all 

32  the  seeds  that  are  upon  the  earth,  yet  when  it  is 
sown,  groweth  up,  and  becometh  greater  than  all 
the  herbs,  and  putteth  out  great  branches ;  so  that 
the  birds  of  the  heaven  can  lodge  under  the  shadow 
thereof. 

33  And  with  many  such  parables  spake  he  the 

34  word  unto  them,  as  they  were  able  to  hear  it:  and 
without  a  parable  spake  he  not  unto  them :  but  pri- 
vately to  his  own  disciples  he  expounded  all  things. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  30,  "  the  kingdom  of  God":  Cf.  note  on  vs.  11.  Vs. 
31,  "mustard":  a  Palestinian  plant  that  grows  from  a  very 
small  seed,  but  becomes  a  large  bush,  often  ten  feet  high 
or  more.  It  is  the  contrast  between  the  small  seed  and 
the  large  plant  that  grows  from  it  that  Jesus  uses  to  illus- 
trate the  nature  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Vs.  32,  "greater 
than  all  the  herbs":  i.e.,  than  all  vegetables  that  grow 
from  seed  in  a  garden. 

Vs.  33,  "unto  them":  i.e.,  to  the  people,  as  is  shown 
by  his  speaking  of  his  disciples  in  the  next  verse  in  con- 
trast with  those  here  referred  to.  "As  they  were  able  to 
hear  it":  as  they  could  understand  them,  even  though  only 
in  part.    Vs.  34,  "expounded":  explained. 


58      The  Gospel  accoeding  to  Mark 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  In  the  parable  of  the  mustard  seed  what  char- 
acteristic of  the  seed  is  emphasized?  (2)  What  is  it 
the  nature  of  which  is  illustrated  by  this  parable?  (3) 
What  does  this  parable  teach  about  the  kingdom  of 
God?  (4)*  Of  what  one  thing  do  all  these  parables 
teach  the  nature?  (5)*  How  far  are  they  alike  in  that 
which  Jesus  uses  to  illustrate  the  nature  of  this  one 
thing?  (6)*  What  special  characteristic  of  the  seed 
does  the  first  of  the  parables  emphasize?  (7)*  What 
does  the  second  emphasize?  (8)*  What  the  third? 
(9)*  What  truth  about  the  kingdom  does  each  teach? 
(10)  Did  the  multitude  who  heard  the  parables  under- 
stand them  at  all?  (11)  Did  the  disciples  understand 
them  perfectly?  (12)  In  what  respect  did  Jesus  treat 
the  multitude  and  the  disciples  differently? 

*  REVIEW  QUESTIONS 

(These'  questions  may  ba  used  as  examination  questions.  In 
answering  them  the  pupil  may  use  the  New  Testament,  if  he  wishes, 
but  no  other,  especially  no  personal,  help.  The  answers  should  be 
carefully  corrected  by  the  teacher  or  examiner  and  returned  to  the 
pupil.) 

(1)  Tell  what  you  know  about  the  writer  of  the 
second  gospel .  (2)  Who  is  the  first  person  spoken  of 
in  the  narrative?  Tell  briefly  what  the  gospel  says 
about  his  way  r)f  living  and  his  work.  (3)  What  are 
the  first  two  events  of  Jesus'  life  related  in  this  gospel  ? 
(4)  What  is  the  first  miracle  of  Jesus  related  in  this 
gospel  ?  (5)  Make  a  list  of  the  miracles  of  healing  (in- 
cluding cases  of  demoniacs)  narrated  in  the  first  three 
chapters  of  Mark.  (6)  What  answer  did  Jesus  give 
to  those  who  urged  him  to  return  to  Capernaum  (1^)? 
What  is  the  meaning  of  the  answer?  (7)  For  what  five 
things  did  the  Pharisees  find  fault  with  Jesus,  as  related 


Pakables  of  the  Kingdom's  Growth     59 

in  21-36?  (8)  State  briefly  how  he  answered  each  of 
these  criticisms.  (9)  Write  the  list  of  the  apostles. 
Which  of  these  are  mentioned  in  the  gospel  previous  to 
the  record  of  their  appointment  as  apostles  ?  (10)  What 
answer  did  Jesus  make  to  the  charge  that  he  cast  out 
demons  by  the  prince  of  demons?  (11)  Who  did  Jesus 
say  were  his  brothers  and  sisters?  (12)  Name  the 
parables  of  the  kingdom  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  Mark. 
(13)  State  what  you  understand  to  be  the  central  teach- 
ing of  each  one.  (14)  Are  these  the  first  parables  of 
Jesus  that  are  recorded  in  this  gospel?  (15)  What 
previous  parable-like  sayings  of  Jesus  are  reported? 
(16)  What  reason  did  Jesus  give  for  teaching  in 
parables  in  4^0-12  j^^d  4''^i'22?  (17^  Jn  what  part  of 
Palestine  did  all  the  events  narrated  in  li^— 4'^-^  take 
place?  (18)  In  what  city  are  certain  of  them  said  to 
have  occurred?     Where  is  this  city? 

To  the  Teacher:  On  the  Sunday  following  the  week  in  which 
these  questions  are  answered,  it  would  be  well  to  discuss  the  answers 
which  the  pupils  have  written,  especially  7,  8,  12, 13, 16. 


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Stilling  of  the  Tempest  61 

have  acquired  a  stronger  faith,!  one  which  would  have 
kept  them  calm  as  he  was.  Vs.  41,  "who  then  is  this  that 
even  the  wind,"  etc.:  Though  they  had  been  some  time 
with  Jesus,  the  disciples  had  not  yet  fully  understood  who 
and  what  he  was.  Nor  did  Jesus  expect  this.  He  took 
them  as  his  disciples,  not  because  they  knew  all  about  him, 
but  because  they  were  willing  to  follow  him  and  to  learn. 
Yet  he  reproved  them  for  being  so  slow  to  learn. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Read  carefully  43j-^i  and  then  tell  the  story. 
(2)*  On  what  sea  did  this  event  take  place?  Is  this 
lake  still  subject  to  sudden  storms?  (3)*  What  spirit 
do  the  disciples  show  in  their  question,  vs.  38?  (4) 
Could  they  have  asked  such  a  question  if  they  had 
really  understood  Jesus'  character,  as  with  their  oppor- 
tunities they  might  have  done?  (5)  Under  what  cir- 
cumstances do  men  today  often  make  a  similar  mistake  ? 
(6)  What  lesson  does  Jesus  teach  the  disciples  in  vs.  40? 
(•7)  What  does  the  whole  incident  suggest  as  to  how  we 
should  behave  in  times  of  danger?  (8)  Have  we  as 
much  reason  for  faith  in  God's  protecting  care  of  us  as 
the  disciples  had  for  faith  in  Jesus?  (9)  W^hat  does 
the  question  of  the  disciples  in  vs.  41  show  as  to  their 
knowledge  of  who  and  what  Jesus  was  ?  (10)*  Did  Jesus 
demand  that  they  should  know  and  acknowledge  the 
whole  truth  about  him  before  he  would  receive  them 
as  his  disciples?  (11)  What  did  he  ask  at  the  begin- 
ning (see  1 17,  21^)?  (12)*  What  did  he  expect  that  ac- 
quaintance with  him  would  do  for  them  (see  especially 
vs.  40)?  (13)  For  what  did  he  reprove  them?  (14) 
How  far  do  all  these  things  apply  in  respect  to  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus  today  ? 


SECTION  XIX 
THE  GERASENE  DEMONIAC,  5:1-20 

And  they  came  to  the  other  side  of  the  sea,   1 
into  the  country  of  the  Gerasenes.     And  when  he  2 
was  come  out  of  the  boat,  straightway  there  met 
him  out  of  the  tombs  a  man  with  an  unclean  spirit, 
who  had  his  dwelling  in  the  tombs:  and  no  man  3 
could   any  more   bind  him,  no,  npt  with  a  chain; 
because  that  he  had  been  often  bound  with  fetters  4 
and  chains,  and  the  chains  had  been  rent  asunder 
by  him,  and  the  fetters  broken  in  pieces:  and  no 
man  had  strength  to  tame  him.    And  always,  night  5 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "into  the  country  of  the  Gerasenes" :  The  place 
of  the  event  is  without  doubt  in  the  outskirts  of  a  town 
on  the  east  side  of  the  sea  of  GaUlee,  now  called  Khersa. 
Here  are  tombs  still  to  be  seen,  and  the  slope  extend- 
ing almost  to  the  sea,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  a 
narrow  beach.  Vs.  2, ''out  of  the  tombs":  not  graves,  but 
tombs  or  vaults  cut  out  of  the  rock  above  the  ground. 
There  are  many  in  that  region  today.  Vs.  3,  "and  no  man 
could  any  more  bind  him":  This  and  the  following  verses 
present  the  picture  of  a  raving  madman.  Vs.  6,  "ran  and 
worshipped  him":  He  is  calmed  and  partly  controlled  by 
the  presence  of  Jesus;  but  the  word  "worshipped"  does  not 
necessarily  imply  reverence,  only  homage  of  some  sort. 
Vs.  7,  "what  have  I  to  do  with  thee?"  etc.:  As  to  what 
the  demoniacs  usually  said  when  they  saw  Jesus,  cf. 
Mark  3 11  and  notes  on  124.  Vs.  10,  "that  he  would  not 
send  them  away  out  of  the  country":   Luke  explains  this 

62 


The  Gerasene  Demoniac 


63 


and  day,  in  the  tombs  and  in  the  mountains,  he 
was  crying  out,  and  cutting  himself  with  stones. 

6  And  when   he   saw  Jesus   from  afar,  he   ran  and 

7  worshipped  him ;  and  crying  out  with  a  loud  voice, 
he  saith.  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee,  Jesus,  thou 
Son  of  the  Most  High  God?     I  adjure  thee  by 

8  God,  torment  me  not.  For  he  said  unto  him, 
Come  forth,  thou  unclean  spirit,  out  of  the  man. 

9  And  he  asked  him.  What  is  thy  name?  And  he 
saith  unto  him.  My  name   is   Legion;  for  we  are 

10  many.     And  he  besought  him  much  that  he  would 

11  not   send   them   away  out   of  the  country.     Now 
there  was  there  on  the  mountain  side  a  great  herd 


A   ROOK -OUT   TOilB 


64     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

of  swine  feeding.     And  they  besought  him,  say-  12 
ing,  Send  us  into  the  swine,  that  we  may  enter 
into  them.     And  he  gave  them  leave.    And  the  13 
unclean  spirits  came  out,  and  entered  into  the  swine : 
and  the  herd  rushed  down  the  steep  into  the  sea, 
in  number  about   two  thousand;    and  they  were 
choked    in   the    sea.      And  they    that   fed  them  14 
fled,  and  told  it  in  the  city,  and  in  the  country. 
And  they  came  to  see  what  it  was  that  had  come 
to  pass.      And  they  come  to  Jesus,  and   behold  15 
^J^noniac   '  ^Im  that  was  possessed  with  devils  sitting,  clothed 
and  in  his   right   mind,  even  him   that  had  the 
legion:  and  they  were  afraid.     And  they  that  saw  16 


to  mean  "into  the  abyss,"  i.  e.,  of  hell  (Luke  8  31):  Vs.  13, 
"and  the  unclean  spirits  came  out  and  entered  into  the 
swine":  The  demons!  are  spoken  of  here  — and  the  evan- 
gelists evidently  thought  of  them  —  as  beings  that  differ 
from  both  men  and  beasts  but  gaining  control  of  either  do 
them  harm.  "  Rushed  down  the  steep  into  the  sea  " :  There 
is  near  the  town  Khersa  a  steep  place  like  this.  Vs.  17, 
"began  to  beseech  him  to  depart  from  their  borders": 
They  cared  more  for  the  loss  of  their  swine  than  for  the 
cure  of  the  demoniac.  Vs.  19,  "go  to  thy  house  ....  and 
tell  them,"  etc.:  a  different  command  from  the  one  Jesus 
gave  to  the  leper,  because  the  circumstances  were  different. 
Jesus  was  going  back  to  the  other  side  of  the  sea.  So  his 
work  would  not  be  hindered  by  the  man's  making  his  cure 
well  known,  and  his  telling  it  would  do  him  and  his  friends 
good.    Vs.  20,  "Decapolis"t:  See  map  and  dictionary. 


The  Gerasene  Demoniac  G5 

it  declared  unto  them  how  it  befell  ^  him  that  was  ^aemoniac 
possessed  with  Mevils,  and  concerning  the  swine. 

17  And  they  began  to  beseech  him  to   depart  from 

18  their 'borders.      And  as  he  was  entering  into  the 

boat,   he    that    had    been    possessed  with   Mevils  2  demons 

19  besought  him  that  he  might  be  with  him.  And 
he  suffered  him  not,  but  saith  unto  him.  Go  to 
thy  house  unto  thy  friends,  and  tell  them  how 
great  things  the  Lord   hath  done   for  thee,   and 

20  lioiD  he  had  mercy  on  thee.  And  he  went  his 
way,  and  began  to  publish  in  Decapolis  how  great 
things  Jesus  had  done  for  him:  and  all  men  did 
marvel. 


QUESTIONS 
(1)  Read  carefully  vss.  1-13  (consulting  dictionary 
and  notes  for  help  on  any  points  that  are  not  clear), 
and  then  tell  the  story.  (2)*  Where  did  this  incident 
take  place?  (3)  What  name  should  we  apply  today  to 
a  man  such  as  vss.  2-5  describe?  Cf.  vs.  15.  (4)  What 
do  vss.  2,  8,  9  imply  as  to  the  cause  of  this  man's  con- 
dition? (5)  Does  the  word  "worshipped"  (vs.  6)  imply 
true  reverence,  or  in  view  of  vs.  7,  only  fear?  (6)*  Was 
this  man's  confession  of  Jesus  peculiar  to  him,  or  com- 
mon in  the  case  of  the  demoniacs  generally?  (7)  To 
whom  is  the  command  of  vs.  8  addressed?  (8)  Of 
whom  is  the  question  of  vs.  9  asked?  Who  answered 
it?  What  does  the  answer  mean?  (9)*  Does  the  man 
seem  to  be  master  of  his  own  action  and  words,  or 
to  be  under  the  control  of  some  other  power,  or  partly 
both?     (10)  What   is  the  meaning  of  the   request  of 


66     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

vs.  10?  (11)  What  was  the  effect  of  Jesus'  granting 
it?  (12)  Read  vss.  14-20,  and  tell  the  story  of  these 
verses.  (13)*  What  was  the  effect  on  the  man  of  the 
expulsion  of  the  demons  ?  (14)  What  was  probably  the 
reason  for  the  request  which  the  people  of  the  place 
made?  (15)  Was  it  a  reasonable  request?  If  not,  why 
not?  (16)  Why  did  Jesus  refuse  the  request  of  the 
man  whom  he  had  cured,  and  send  him  away  to.  tell 
his  friends  of  his  cure,  instead  of  enjoining  silence 
as  in  s(^me  other  cases  (see,  e.  g.,  1*^)?  (17)  Where  and 
what  is  Decapolis  ?  f  The  matter  of  possession  of  men 
by  demons  is  a  difficult  and  obscure  one.  Try,  how- 
ever, to  answer  the  following  questions  about  them. 
(18)*  What  were  some  of  the  external  signs  of  this  con- 
dition ?  (19)*  What  do  we  say  today  of  people  who  show 
these  symptoms  ?  (20)*  What  was  commonly  believed  to 
be  the  cause  of  this  condition  in  Jesus'  day?  (21)*  Did 
Jesus  make  any  effort  to  change  this  common  belief? 
(22)*  Did  he  say  that  it  was  correct?  (23)*  Did  Jesus 
treat  this  Gerasene  demoniac  as  a  great  sinner,  or  as  an 
unfortunate  sufferer?  (24)*  Is  there  any  indication 
that  he  thought  that  men  possessed  with  demons 
were  any  more  wicked  than  other  men?  (25)  In  past 
ages  insane  people  have  often  been  treated  with  great 
cruelty  on  the  ground  that  they  were  possessed  with 
devils  and  therefore  very  wicked.  Was  this  in  accord- 
ance with  Jesus'  example  or  contrary  to  it  ?  (26)  To- 
day men  build  hospitals  to  care  for  the  insane  and  to 
cure  them  if  possible.  Is  this  in  accordance  with  the 
spirit  of  Jesus?  (27)  Is  it  necessary  to  know  what 
caused  suffering  before  you  try  to  relieve  it  ? 


SECTION  XX 
JAIRUS'S  DAUGHTER  RAISED  TO  LIFE,  5:21-43 

21  And  when  Jesus  had  crossed  over  again  in  the 
boat  unto  the  other  side,  a  great  multitude  was 

22  gathered  unto  him:  and  he  was  by  the  sea.  And 
there  cometh  one  of  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue, 
Jairus  by  name;    and  seeing  him,  he   falleth  at 

23  his  feet,  and  beseecheth  him  much,  saying.  My 
little  daughter  is  at  the  point  of  death:  /  pray 
thee,  that  thou  come  and  lay  thy  hands  on  her, 

24  that  she  may  be  ^made  whole,  and  live.  And  he 
went  with  him;  and  a  great  multitude  followed 
him,  and  they  thronged  him. 

25  And  a  woman,  which  had  an  issue  of  blood 

26  twelve  years,  and  had  suffered  many  things  of 
many  physicians,  and  had  spent  all  that  she  had, 
and  was  nothing  bettered,  but  rather  grew  worse, 

27  having  heard  the  things  concerning  Jesus,  came 
in  the  crowd  behind,  and  touched  his  garment. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  22,  "one  of  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue"!:  appar- 
ently the  synagogue  in  Capernaum  had  more  than  one 
"  ruler." 

Vs.  25,  "  an  issue  of  blood  "  :  chronic  hemorrhage.  Vs. 
28,  "  if  I  touch  but  his  garments,  I  shall  be  made  whole  "  : 
Evidently  she  had  real  faith,  though  but  an  imperfect 
idea  what  kind  of  power  Jesus  had.  Vs.  34,  "daughter"  : 
expressive  of  kindness  ;  cf.  Mark  25. 

67 


1  cured,  or 
saved 


68      The  Gospel  accokding  to  Mark 


1  cured,  or 
saved 


2  sickness 


Scured  thee,  or 
saved  thee 


4  Teacher 


5  Or,   overhear' 
ing 


For  she  said,  If  I  touch  but  his  garments,  I  shall  28 
be  'made  whole.     And  straightway  the  fountain  29 
of  her  blood  was  dried  up;    and  she  felt  in  her 
body  that  she  was  healed  of  her  ^plague.     And  30 
straightway  Jesus,  perceiving  in  himself  that  the 
-power  proceeding  from  him  had  gone  forth,  turned 
him  about  in  the  crowd,  and  said.  Who  touched 
my  garments?     And  his  disciples  said  unto  him,  31 
Thou  seest   the   multitude    thronging   thee,   and 
sayest   thou.  Who  touched  me  ?     And  he  looked  32 
round  about  to  see  her  that  had  done  this  thing. 
But  the  woman  fearing  and  trembling,  knowing  33 
what  had  been  done  to  her,  came  and  fell  down 
before  him,  and  told  him  all  the  truth.     And  he  34 
said  unto  her,  Daughter,  thy  faith  hath  ^made  thee 
whole;  go  in  peace,  and  be  'whole  of  thy  ^plague. 

While  he  yet  spake,  they  come  from  the  ruler  35 
of  the  synagogue's  house,  saying,  Thy  daughter 
is  dead;    why   troublest   thou   the   *  Master   any 
further  ?    But  Jesus  °not  heeding  the  "Word  spoken,  36 


Vs.  36,  "  Fear  not,  only  believe "  :  i.  e.,  cease  to  fear, 
keep  on  believing.  Vs.  37,  "save  Peter,  James,  and 
John":  so  also  in  Mark  92;  1433.  Vs.  38,  "  weeping  and 
wailing  "  :  It  was  the  custom  at  that  time  to  hire  people 
to  mourn  and  cry  when  anyone  had  died.  Vs.  39,  "  the 
child  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth "  :  she  is  so  soon  to  live 
again  that  it  is  as  if  she  slept.  Vs.  41,  "  Talitha  cumi "  : 
These  words  are  in  Aramaic,  a  language  very  much  like 
Hebrew  and  in  use  in  Palestine  at  this  time.  Vs.  43, 
"  charged  them,"  etc. :    unwilling  to  attract  attention  to 


Jairus's  Daughter  Raised  to  Life     69 

saith  unto  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  Fear  not,  only 

37  believe.  And  he  suffered  no  man  to  follow  with 
him,  ^save  Peter  and  James,  and  John  the  brother  ^except 

38  of  James.  And  they  come  to  the  house  of  the 
ruler  of  the  synagogue ;  and  he  beholdeth  a  tumult, 

39  and  many  weeping  and  wailing  greatly.  And 
when  he  was  entered  in,  he  saith  unto  them.  Why 
make  ye  a  tumult,  and  weep  ?  the  child  is  not  dead, 

40  but  sleepeth.  And  they  laughed  him  "to  scorn. 
But  he,  having  put  them  all  forth,  taketh  the 
father  of  the  child  and  her  mother  and  them  that 
were  with  him,  and  goeth  in  where  the  child  was, 

41  And  taking  the  child  by  the  hand,  he  saith  unto 
her,  Talitha  cumi;   which  is,  being  interpreted, 

42  ^Damsel,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise.     And  straightway  i maiden 
the  damsel  rose  up,  and  walked ;  for  she  was  twelve 
years  old.     And  they  were  amazed  straightway 

43  with  a  great  amazement.  And  he  charged  them 
much  that  no  man  should  know  this :  and  he  com- 
manded that  something  should  be  given  her  to  eat. 

himself  as  a  healer.  "  Commanded  that  something  should 
be  given  her  to  eat " :  thoughtfully  compassionate  even 
in  little  things. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  To  which  side  of  the  sea  does  vs.  21  refer?  (2)* 
To  what  city  on  this  side  of  the  sea  did  Jesus  frequently 
return?  (3)*  What  oflSce  did  Jairus  hold?  Name  it  and 
describe  it.  (4)  What  statement  does  Jairus  make  about 
his  daughter,  and  what  request  ? 


70     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

(5)*  Tell  the  story  of  the  woman  who  touched  Jesus 
in  the  crowd  as  he  went  to  Jairus's  house;  her  sick- 
ness; the  time  it  had  lasted;  her  experience  with  physi- 
cians; her  thought  in  following  Jesus;  the  effect  of 
touching  his  garments;  Jesus'  question;  the  answer  of 
the  disciples  and  of  the  woman  ?  (6)  What  did  Jesus 
say  had  secured  the  cure?  (7)  What  did  the  woman 
believe,  and  how  had  her  faith  expressed  itself?  (8) 
Would  she  have  sought  to  touch  Jesus  if  she  had  not 
believed  that  he  could  cure  her?  Would  she  have  been 
healed  if,  believing  that  he  could  cure  her,  she  had  made 
no  expression  of  her  belief?  What  two  elements,  then, 
did  her  faith  involve? 

(9)  What  message  was  brought  to  the  ruler  as  he 
was  on  his  way  to  his  home  (vs.  35)?  (10)  What 
did  Jesus  say  when  he  heard  this  message?  (11)*  Tell 
the  story  of  what  happened  when  they  reached  the 
house  (notice  carefully  all  the  details,  and  try  to  tell 
the  story  accurately).  (12)  What  characteristics  of 
Jesus  appear  in  vs.  43?  (13)  In  what  respect  were 
Jairus  and  the  woman  mentioned  in  vss.  25-34  alike  in 
their  attitude  toward  Jesus?  (14)  Is  this  attitude  one 
which  Jesus  approved  and  sought  to  cultivate  in  men? 
(15)*  Do  the  gospels  tell  of  any  instance  in  which  Jesus 
failed,  or  refused  to  do  for  anyone  what  that  one  believed 
he  could  do  for  him?  In  other  words,  was  the  faith  of 
any  man  ever  disappointed?  (16)  Reconsider  question 
6,  and  study  again  the  conduct  of  Jairus  to  see  whether 
his  faith  has  the  same  two  elements  which  appear  in 
the  faith  of  the  woman.  (17)  Will  this  do  for  a  defini- 
tion of  faith  in  Jesus  as  we  find  it  in  the  gospels  —  such 
a  belief  that  Jesus  can  and  will  do  for  one  a  certain 
thing  as  manifests  itself  in  coming  to  Jesus  and  com- 
mitting one's  case  to  him  ?    (18)  Will  the  same  definition 


Jaieus's  Daughter  Kaised  to  Life     71 

hold  for  faith  in  Jesus  today  ?  (19)  Were  the  specific 
needs  of  the  people  who  came  to  Jesus  all  the  same,  or 
did  each  have  his  own  special  need?  Have  we  all  today 
some  common  need  which  Jesus  can  supply?  Have  we 
also  each  our  own  special  needs?  What  would  faith  in 
Jesus  lead  us  to  do  respecting  all  these  needs? 


SECTION  XXI 
THE  REJECTION  AT  NAZARETH,  6: 1-6 

And  he  went  out  from  thence;  and  he  cometh 
into  his  own  country;  and  his  disciples  follow 
him.  And  when  the  sabbath  was  come,  he  began 
to  teach  in  the  synagogue :  and  many  hearing  him 
were  astonished,  saying,  "Whence  hath  this  man 
these  things?  and,  What  is  the  wisdom  that  is 
given  unto  this  man,  and  what  mean  such  mighty 
works  wrought  by  his    hands?     Is  not    this  the 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "his  own  country":  i.  e.,  Nazareth,!  where  he 
was  brought  up.  See  Luke  4 16,  23.  Vss.  2,  3,  "  and  many 
....  were  astonished  ....  and  they  were  offended  in 
him":  Though  surprised  at  his  wisdom  and  power,  yet 
because  he  had  been  brought  up  among  them,  they  were 
not  drawn  to  him,  but  only  offended,  made  to  stumble,  i.  e., 
to  fall  into  error  and  sin  respecting  him.  Notice  the  names 
of  his  four  brothers  and  the  use  of  the  plural  "sisters," 
showing  that  Jesus  was  one  of  a  family  of  not  less  than 
seven  children.  These  brothers  and  siste:s  were  probably 
younger  than  Jesus,  the  children  of  Joseph  and  Mary; 
rather  than,  as  some  have  fancied,  the  children  of  Joseph 
and  a  former  wife.  This  verse  tells  us  a  great  deal,  if  we 
stop  to  think  of  it,  about  Jesus'  home  life.  He  knew  both 
the  joy  and  the  discipline  of  life  in  a  large  family  and  a 
humble  home.  Vs.  4,  "a  prophet  is  not  without  honour," 
etc.:  It  is  often  Harder  for  one's  own  friends  to  see  the 
true  worth  of  one  than  for  strangers.  We  do  not  like  to 
think  that  one  brought  up  just  as  we  were  is  really, so 
much  greater  than  we.    Vs.  5,  "  and  he  could  there  do  no 

72 


The  Kejection  at  Nazareth         73 

carpenter,  the  son  of  Mary,  and  brother  of  James, 
and  Joses,  and  Judas,  and  Simon  ?  and  are  not  his 
sisters  here  with  us  ?     And  they  w.ere  offended  in 

4  him.     And   Jesus  said  unto  them,  A  prophet  is 
,    not  without  honour,  save  in  his  own  country,  and 

5  among  his  own  kin,  and  in  his  own  house.     And 

he  could  there  do  no  mighty  work,  ^save  that  he  i  except 
laid  his  hands  upon  a  few  sick  folk,  and  healed 

6  them.    And  he  marvelled  because  of  their  unbelief. 

And  he  went  round  about  the  villages  teaching. 

mighty  work":  Their  narrowness  and  prejudice  made  it 
impossible,  because  the  miracle  would  have  been  no  real 
blessing  to  men  who  lacked  the  openness  of  mind  to  see 
the  real  meaning  of  it.  Vs.  6,  "  and  he  marvelled  because 
of  their  unbelief":  was  surprised  that  they  were  so  / 
unwilling  to  take  him  to  be  what  his  works  and  words 
(vs.  2)  showed  that  he  was.  Jesus  evidently  liked  to 
believe  good  of  people,  and  when  he  found  them  narrow 
and  mean  it  not,  only  grieved  but^  surprised  him. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)*  What  is  meant  by  "his  own  country"  in  vs.  1? 
(2)  What  impression  did  the  preaching  of  Jesus  in  the 
synagogue  make  on  the  people  who  heard  it  ?  (3)  What 
feeling  does  their  question  in  vs.  3  express?  (4)  What 
does  the  word  "offended"  in  vs.  3  mean?  (5)  Tell  the 
story  of  Jesus'  visit  to  Nazareth.  (6)  By  what  principle 
did  Jesus  explain  the  attitude  of  the  people  of  Nazareth 
toward  him?  (7)  Did  the  fact  that  their  (conduct  was 
according  to  this  general  rule  make  it  right  ?  (8)  Does 
it  make  any  conduct  right  that  people  generally  act  in 
that  way?    (9)*  How  did  the  attitude  of  the  Nazarenes 


*-w.^5^^HE  Gospel  according  to  Mark 


toward  Jesus  hinder  his  work  for  them?  (10)  Would 
they  have  fallen  into  such  an  error  if  they  had  culti- 
vated the  habit  of  open-mindedness  and  fair-minded- 
ness? Is  the  abs'ence  of  such  open-mindedness  a  moral 
wrong?  Is  the  cultivation  of  it  a  duty?  (11)*  What 
characteristic  of  Jesus  is  reflected  in  his  surprise  at  the 
unbelief  of  the  Nazarenes  ? 

(12)  How  many  brothers  and  sisters  had  Jesus? 
(13)*  Of  how  many,  then,  did  the  family  at  Nazareth 
consist?  (14)  Were  these  brothers  and  sisters  older  or 
younger  than  Jesus?  See  Luke  2"*.  (15)  What  are 
some  of  the  experiences  that  would  come  into  Jesus' 
life  at  home  through  being  a  member  of  such  a  family  ? 
(16)*  At  what  trade  did  Jesus  work  as  a  young  man  in 
Nazareth?  (17)*  Was  the  home  at  Nazareth  one  of 
wealth,  or  of  extreme  poverty,  or  of  humble  comfort? 
How  do  you  know  ? 


A   STREET   IN   NAZARETH 


SECTION  XXII 

THE  SENDING  OUT  OF  THE  TWELVE  TO  EN- 
GAGE IN  WORK  LIKE  THAT  OF  JESUS  HIM- 
SELF, 6:7-29 

7  And  he  called  unto  him  the  twelve  and  began 
to  send  them  forth  by  two  and  two;  and  he  gave 

8  them  authority  over  the  unclean  spirits;  and  he 
charged  them  that  they  should  take  nothing  for 
their  journey,    save    a  staff  only;    no    bread,  no 

9  wallet,  no  money  in  their  ^ purse;  but  to  go  shod   lor.girdu 
with  sandals:  and,  said  he,  put  not  on  two  coats. 

10  And  he  said  unto  them.  Wheresoever  ye  enter  into 

11  a  house,  there  abide  till  ye  depart  thence.     And 
whatsoever  place  shall  not  receive  you,  and  they 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  7,  '-the  twelve":  Cf.  314.  "And  began  to  send 
them  forth":  as  he  had  planned  to  do  when  he  appointed 
them  (311;  c/.  notes  on  that  passage).  Vs.  8,  "wallet":  a 
small  leathern  bag  for  carrying  provisions.  These  they 
were  not  to  provide  in  advance,  but  were  to  get  on  the 
journey.  Vs.  9,  "put  not  on  two  coats":  The  dress  of  a 
person  who  lived  in  Palestine  in  those  days  was  very 
simple.  Besides  sandals  for  the  feet  and  a  covering  for  the 
head,  a  man  wore  a  tunic  or  coat,  which  was  a  garment 
something  like  a  long  shirt,  with  a  girdle  or  belt  around 
the  waist,  and  a  cloak,  which  was  hardly  more  than  a  large 
square  piece  of  cloth.  Some  men  wore  two  tunics,  but  this 
was  a  sign  of  wealth  (Luke  311),  and  it  was  this  that  Jesus 
forbade.    He  himself  appears  to  have  worn  but  one  (John 

75 


76     The  Gospel  according  to  Mar: 


MAN   IN   ORIENTAL    DRESS 


The  Sending  out  of  the  Twelve     77 

hear  you  not,  as  ye  go  forth  thence,  shake  off  the 
dust  that  is  under  your  feet  for  a  testimony  unto 

12  them.     And  they    went  out,    and   preached  that 

13  men  should    repent.      And    they   cast   out   many 
Mevils,    and    anointed   with    oil  many  that    were  idemom 
sick,  and  healed  them. 

14  And  king  Herod  heard  thereof  \  for  his  name 

had  become  known;  and  he  said,  John  Hhe  Bap-  ^tuer^^  ^"'^' 
tist  is  risen  from  the  dead,  and  therefore  do  these 

15  powers  work  in  him.  But  others  said.  It  is  Elijah. 
And  others  said,  //  is  a  prophet,  even  as  one  of 

16  the  prophets.     But  Herod,  when  he  heard  thereof, 

17  said,  John,  whom  I  beheaded,  he  is  risen.  For 
Herod  himself  had  sent  forth  and  laid  hold  upon 
John,  and  bound  him  in  prison  for  the  sake  of 
Herodias,   his  brother  Philip's  wife:  for  he  had 


19  23).  The  purpose  of  all  these  directions  in  vss.  8,  9,  is  to 
prevent  the  disciples  having  anything  to  hinder  them  in 
their  work.  They  were  not  to  burden  themselves  either  to 
get  or  to  carry  anything  unnecessary.  They  needed  neither 
money  nor  provisions  for  their  journey  because  they  went 
afoot,  and  it  was  the  custom  to  give  travelers  food  and 
shelter  for  nothing;  the  people  would  have  been  insulted  if 
they  had  been  offered  pay.  Vs.  10,  "there  abide":  ^.  e., 
have  but  one  stopping  place  in  each  village.  Vs.  11,  "shake 
off  the  dust":  a  sign  of  disapproval  of  their  conduct.  Vs. 
12,  "preached  that  men  should  repent":  following  the 
example  of  John  (Matt.  3  2)  and  Jesus  (Mark  1 15).  Vs.  13, 
"cast  out  many  demons,"  etc.:  accompanying,  as  Jesus  had 
done,  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  with  the  relief  of  bodily 
ills.  So  the  Christian  spirit  leads  us  in  our  times  to  do 
both  together. 


78     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

married  her.    For  John  said  unto  Herod,  It  is  not  18 
lawful  for  thee  to  have  thy  brother's  wife.     And  19 
Herodias  set  herself  against  him,  and  desired  to 
kill    him;   and  she   could  not;  for  Herod  feared  20 
John,  knowing  that  he  was  a  righteous  man  and  a 
holy,  and  kept  him  safe.    And  when  he  heard  him, 
he  was  much  perplexed ;  and  he  heard  him  gladly. 
And  when  a  convenient  day  was  come,  that  Herod  21 
on  his  birthday  made  a  supper  to  his  lords,  and 
the  ''high  captains,  and  the  chief  men  of  Galilee; 
and  when  the  daughter  of  Herodias  herself  came  22 
in  and  danced,  she  pleased  Herod  and  them  that 
sat  at  meat  with  him;  and  the  king  said  unto  the 
Mamsel,  Ask  of  me  whatsoever  thou  wilt,  and  I 
will  give  it  thee.     And  he  sware  unto  her.  What-  23 
sover  thou  shalt  ask  of  me,  I  will  give  it   thee. 


Vs.  14,  "and  king  Herod  ":  Herod  Antipas,  tetrarch  of 
Galilee  and  Perea;  not  strictly  king,  but  perhaps  called  so 
by  courtesy.  "Heard  thereof  ":  i.  e.,  of  the  work  of  Jesus 
and  his  disciples.  "Therefore  do  these  powers  work  in 
him":  the  words  of  a  superstitious  man  made  more  so  by 
his  guilty  conscience.  His  thought  seems  to  be,  not  that 
Jesus  does  miracles  (powers),  but  that  they  operate  in  him. 
Vs.  15,  "Elijah  ....  one  of  the  prophets":  c/.  Mark  828. 
Those  who  said  he  was  Elijah  had  in  mind  the  prophecy  of 
Mai.  4  5,  and  probably  thought  of  a  real  return  of  Elijah. 
Those  who  called  him  a  prophet  meant  that  he  was  simply 
another  prophet  in  the  line  of  the  prophets.  Vs.  17, 
"  Herod  himself  had  sent  forth,"  etc.:  The  evangelist  turns 
back  to  tell  of  the  death  of  John  which  had  happened  some 
time  before.    Vs.  18,  "for  John  said  unto  Herod  ":  not  once, 


The  Sending  out  of  the  Twelve     79 

24  unto  the  half  of  my  kingdom.  And  she  went  out, 
and  said  unto  her  mother,  What  shall  I  ask  ?    And 

25  she  said.  The  head  of  John  Hhe  Baptist.     And  Me^'^"^ 
she  came  in  straightway  with  haste  unto  the  king, 

and  asked,  saying,  I  will  that  thou  forthwith  give 
me  in  a  charger  the   head   of  John^  the  Baptist. 

26  And  the  king  was  exceeding  sorry;  but  for  the 
sake  of  his  oaths,  and  of  them  that  sat  at  meat,  he 

27  would  not  reject  her.  And  straightway  the  king 
sent  forth  a  soldier  of  his  guard,  and  commanded 
to  bring  his  head:  and  he  went  and  beheaded  him 

28  in  the  prison,  and  brought  his  head  in  a  charger, 
and  gave  it  to  the  ''damsel;  and  the  ° damsel  gave 

29  it  to  her  mother.     And  when  his  disciples  heard 
thereof,  they  came  and  took  up  his  corpse,  and  . 
laid  it  in  a  tomb. 


probably,  but  repeatedly.  Vss.  19,  20,  "Herodias  .... 
desired  to  kill  him  ....  Herod  feared  John":  It  was 
Herodias  who  hated  John  most  for  his  courage  in  reprov- 
ing her  sin  and  Herod's.  "Was  much  perplexed;  and  he 
heard  him  gladly":  yet  did  nothing  about  it,  lacking  the 
courage  to  take  a  bold  stand  against  Herodias.  Vs.  21,  "  a 
convenient  day":  for  Herodias  to  carry  out  her  cherished 
purpose.  "His  lords,  and  high  captains,  and  chief  men  of 
Galilee":  chief  civil  officers,  military  officers,  and  leading 
private  citizens.  Vs.  27,  "sent  forth  a  soldier  ":  Josephus 
says  that  John  was  put  to  death  at  Macherus,  a  castle  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Dead  Sea,  in  Perea,  which  was  under 
Herod's  rule.  Vs.  29,  "his  disciples":  i.  e.,  John's.  The 
whole  story,  vs.  17-29,  is  a  long  parenthesis  relating  to 
what  had  happened  before  the  sending  out  of  the  Twelve, 
in  explanation  of  Herod's  remark,  vs.  16. 


80     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  What  authority  did  Jesus  give  his  twelve 
disciples  when  sending  them  out  ?  (2)*  For  what  pur- 
pose were  they  originally  chosen  by  him  ?  (3)*  What 
was  the  probable  reason  for  sending  them  two  by  two, 
instead  of  singly  ?  (4)  What  various  directions  did  he 
give  them  about  their  journey  (vss.  8,  9)?  What  was 
the  general  reason  for  all  these  injunctions?  (5)  What 
is  the  meaning  of  and  reason  for  the  injunction  of  vs. 
10?  What  of  vs.  11?  (6)  Could  these  injunctions  be 
applied  literally  to  missionary  work  today?  Do  the 
general  principles  still  apply?  (7)*  What  three  kinds 
of  work  did  the  apostles  do  on  their  journey? 

(8)  W^hat  various  opinions  were  expressed  at  about 
this  time  about  Jesus?  What  did  Herod  say?  What 
do  his  words  mean?  (9)  For  what  had  Herod 
imprisoned  John?  (10)  Tell  the  story  of  the  death  of 
John  the  Baptist.  (11)  What  element  of  John's  char- 
acter appears  in  the  story  of  his  imprisonment  and 
death  ?  (12)  Who  was  chiefly  responsible  for  the  death 
of  John?  (13)  Who  shared  in  that  responsibility? 
(14)  W^hat  does  Herod's  conduct  suggest  as  to  the 
propriety  of  keeping  or  breaking  rash  and  wicked 
promises?  (15)  This  section  brings  before  us  a  variety 
of  persons  and  characters:  Jesus,  his  disciples,  John 
the  Baptist,  Herod,  and  his  family  and  companions. 
Which  of  these  would  have  been  generally  looked  upon 
then  as  the  fortunate  and  enviable  members  of  Palestin- 
ian society  ?  Who  are  most  honored  today  ?  Who  are 
really  most  worthy  of  honor,  and  were  so  then?  (16)''' 
Give  a  brief  sketch  of  the  life,  work,  and  death  of  John 
the  Baptist,  and  an  estimate  of  his  character. 


SECTION  XXIII 
THE  FEEDING  OF  THE  FIVE  THOUSAND,  6 :  30-46 

30  And  the  apostles  gather  themselves  toge'ther 
unto  Jesus;  and  they  told  him  all  things,  what- 
soever they  had  done,  and  whatsoever  they   had 

31  taught.  And  he  saith  unto  them,  Come  ye  your- 
selves apart  into  a  desert  place,  and  rest  a  while. 
For  there  were  many  coming  and  going,  and  they 

32  had  no  leisure  so  much  as  to  eat.     And  they  went 

33  away  in  the  boat  to  a  desert  place  apart.  And 
the  people  saw  them  going,  and  many  knew  them, 

and  they  ran  there  together  ^  on  foot  from  all  the   i  or,  by  land 

34  cities,  and  outwent  them.     And  he  came  forth  and 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  30,  "gather  themselves  together  unto  Jesus": 
probably  at  Capernaum.  "  Told  him  all  things  whatsoever 
they  had  done":  i.e.,  on  their  journey  (612,13).  Vs.  31, 
"come  ye  yourselves  apart  ....  and  rest  a  while":  a 
needed  vacation  after  work.  Vs.  32,  "  in  the  boat  to  a 
desert  place  apart":  some  uninhabited  spot  on  the  shore 
of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  Vs.  39  shows  that  it  was  a  grassy 
spot,  and  as  the  comparison  of  the  other  gospels  indicates 
that  it  was  at  the  northern  end  of  the  sea,  the  event  is 
usually  thought  to  have  occurred  in  the  grassy  plain  of 
Butaiha  on  the  northeastern  shore  of  the  sea.  Cf.  map  op- 
posite p.  60.  Vs.  34,  "  came  forth  ":  from  the  boat,  the  people 
having  arrived  before  him.  "And  he  had  compassion  on 
them":  the  motive  that  constantly  moved  Jesus.  "As sheep 
not  having  a  shepherd":  as  people  with  no  competent  reli- 

81 


82     The  Gospel  accokding  to  Mark 

saw  a  great  multitude,  and  he  had  compassion  on 
them,  because  they  were  as  sheep  not  having  a 
shepherd:    and   he   began  to  teach    them    many 
things.     And  when  the  day  was  now  far  spent,  his  35 
disciples  came   unto  him,  and  said,  The  place  is 
desert,  and  the  day  is  now  far  spent :  send  them  36 
away,  that  they    may   go   into  the    country   and 
villages  round  about,  and  buy  themselves  some- 
what to  eat.     But  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,   37 
Give  ye  them  to  eat.     And  they  say  unto  him. 
Shall  we  go  and  buy  two  hundred  pennyworth  of 
bread,  and  give  them  to  eat  ?     And  he  saith  unto  38 
them.  How   many  loaves  have  ye  ?  go   and  see. 
And  when  they   knew,  they   say,  Five,  and  two 
fishes.     And  he  commanded  them  that  all  should  39 

gious leaders.  "And  he  began  to  teach  them":  giving  up  the 
rest  he  was  intending  to  take.  Vs.  37,  "two  hundred 
pennyworth  ":  two  hundred  denarii,  equal  to  about  $34,  but 
enough  to  buy  much  more  than  that  amount  would  buy 
today.  The  story  does  not  state  whether  the  disciples  had 
as  much  as  this  or  not.  A  denarius  was  a  day's  wages  of 
a  laborer.  Vs.  38,  "how  many  loaves":  The  loaf  was  a 
thin  cake,  not  unlike  a  large  cracker.  See  the  illustration 
on  p.  105.  Vs.  39,  "  upon  the  green  grass":  This  shows  that 
it  was  spring  (c/.  also  John  6  4);  the  grass  withers  early  in 
the  summer.  Vs.  41,  "looking  up  to  heaven,  he  blessed": 
blessed  God,  gave  thanks  for  the  food.  Vs.  44,  "twelve 
basketfuls":  See^'the  illustration  on  p.  101. 

Vss.  45,  46,  "  constrained  his  disciples  to  enter  into  the 
boat  ....  while  he  himself  sendeth  the  multitude  away": 
The  compassion  of  Jesus  leads  him  to  feed  the  people;  but 
it  is  not  his  intention  to  continue  feeding  them.    This  is, 


Feeding  of  the  Five  Thousand      83 

^sit  down   by   companies  upon   the  green  grass. 

40  And  they  sat  down  in  ranks,  by  hundreds,  and  by 

41  fifties.  And  he  took  the  five  loaves  and  the  two 
fishes,  and  looking  up  to  heaven,  he  blessed,  and 
brake  the  loaves;  and  he  gave  to  the  disciples  to 
set  before  them;  and  the  two  fishes  divided  he 

42  among  them  all.     And  they  did  all  eat,  and  were 

43  filled.     And  they  took  up  broken  pieces,  twelve 

44  basketfuls,  and  also  of  the  fishes.  And  they  that 
ate  the  loaves  were  five  thousand  men. 

45  And  straightway  he  constrained  his  disciples  to 
enter  into  the  boat,  and  to  go  before  him  unto  the 
other  side  to  Bethsaida,  while  he  himself  sendeth 

46  the  multitude  away.  And  after  he  had  taken  leave 
of  them,  he  departed  into  the  mountain  to  pray. 


even  less  than  healing  the  sick,  the  work  he  came  to  do. 
"To  pray":  c/.135.  A  special  reason  for  seeking  at  this 
time  opportunity  for  prayer  alone  is  suggested  by  John 
6 11, 15;  the  people  that  he  had  fed  wanted  to  take  him  and 
make  him  a  king,  but  such  a  king  as  it  was  not  God's  will 
that  he  should  be.  So  he  sends  them  away,  but  not  with 
his  disciples,  and  himself  seeks  communion  with  God  alone. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Vs.  30  refers  to  the  return  from  a  journey, 
where  is  the  account  of  the  disciples  going  out  on  this 
journey?  (2)  What  do  vss.  31  and  33  imply  as  to  the 
number  of  people  who  were  following  Jesus  at  this  time, 
and  his  popularity?  (3)  What  does  vs.  31  indicate  as 
to  Jesus'  care  for  his  disciples?    (4)  What  body  of 


84     The  Gospel  accokding  to  Mark 

water  did  they  probably  cross  in  the  boat  journey  men- 
tioned in  vs.  32?  (5)*  What  does  the  expression  ''  desert 
place"  in  vss.  31,  32  mean,  and  where  was  the  place, 
probably,  to  which  Jesus  and  his  disciples  went  ?  Look 
it  up  on  the  map.  (6)  How  did  the  people  reach  the 
spot  ?  Look  on  the  map  to  see  how  this  was  possible. 
(7)  What  feeling  did  the  presence  of  this  multitude  call 
forth  in  Jesus  ?  (8)*  What  is  meant  by  the  expression 
"as  sheep  not  having  a  shepherd"?  (9)*  What  plan  of 
his  own  did  Jesus  give  up  in  order  to  teach  the  people? 
(10)  What  proposal  did  the  disciples  make  with  refer- 
ence to  the  feeding  of  the  multitude?  (11)  How  did 
Jesus  propose  to  feed  them,  and  how  did  he  do  it? 
(12)  Retell  the  whole  story  of  vss.  30-44.  (13)*  What 
qualities  of  Jesus  does  it  illustrate  ?  Answer  this  fully 
and  carefully. 

(14)*  After  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand,  where 
did  Jesus  send  his  disciples?  What  did  he  do  with 
the  multitude?  Where  did  he  himself  go, and  for  what 
purpose?  (15)  What  were  the  reasons  for  this  action? 
Why  did  he  not  take  advantage  of  the  presence  of  this 
great  company  to  draw  after  him  a  multitude  of  fol- 
lowers? (16)*  Is  Jesus'  conduct  on  this  occasion  like 
or  unlike  that  which  he  has  previously  shown?  (17) 
What  light  does  it  throw  on  his  motives  and  aims  ? 


SECTION  XXIV 
JESUS  WALKING  ON  THE  SEA,  6:47-52 

47  And  when   even  was  come,  the  boat  was  in  the 

48  midst  of  the  sea,  and  he  alone  on  the  land.  And 
seeing  them  distressed  in  rowing,  for  the  wind  was 
contrary  unto  them,  about  the  fourth  watch  of  the 
night  he  cometh  unto  them,  walking  on  the  sea; 

49  and  he  would  have  passed  by  them :  but  they,  when 
they  saw  him  walking  on  the  sea,  supposed  that  it 

50  was  an  apparition,  and  cried  out:  for  they  all  saw 
him,  and  were  troubled.  But  he  straightway  spake 
with  them,  and  saith  unto  them,  Be  of  good  cheer: 

51  it  is  I ;  be  not  afraid.  And  he  went  up  unto  them 
into  the  boat ;  and  the  wind  ceased :  and  they  were 

52  sore  amazed  in  themselves;  for  they  understood 
not  concerning  the  loaves,  but  their  heart  was 
hardened. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  48,  "  about  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night ":  between 
3  and  6  a.  m.,  the  night  being  divided  into  four  watches  of 
about  three  hours  each.  This  is  the  Roman  method  of 
counting  time  ;  the  Jews  divided  the  night  into  but  three 
watches.  "And  he  would  have  passed  by  them":  He 
intended  to  do  so,  if  they  did  not  call  to  him.  Vs.  52,  "for 
they  understood  not  concerning  the  loaves":  a  remark 
made  by  the  writer,  which  means  that  if  they  had  thought 
how  much  power  Jesus  must  have  had  in  order  to  feed  the 
multitude,  they  would  not  have  been  surprised  that  he  was 

85 


86      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

able  to  walk  on  the  water.  "  But  their  heart  was  hardened : " 
their  spiritual  insight  was  dulled.  The  word  "heart"  in 
Scripture  often  denotes  the  mind,  especially  as  occupied 
with  spiritual  truth.    See  Mark  28;  35. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  made  it  difficult  for  the  disciples  to  reach 
the  shore?  (2)  At  what  time  of  the  night  did  Jesus  come 
to  them?  (3)  What  did  they  think  when  they  saw  him? 
(4)*  Tell  in  your  own  words  the  whole  story  of  Jesus 
rejoining  them.  (5)  What  does  vs.  52  mean?  What 
is  the  hardening  of  the  heart  there  spoken  of?  (6) 
Where  in  this  gospel  is  the  hardening  of  the  heart  pre- 
viously spoken  of?  (7)*  Were  the  disciples  at  this  time 
in  the  same  condition  as  the  Pharisees  spoken  of  in  the 
other  passage?  (8)  May  there  be  in  different  persons 
very  different  degrees  of  hardening  of  heart  ?  Are  even 
sincere  disciples  of  Jesus  in  danger  of  becoming  in 
some  measure  hard  of  heart  ? 


SECTION  XXV 
MANY  HEALED  IN  GALILEE,  6:53-56 

53  And  when  they  had  crossed  over,  they  came  to 
the  land  unto  Gennesaret,  and  moored  to  the  shore. 

54  And  when  they  were  come  out  of  the  boat,  straight- 

55  way  tJie  people  knew  him,  and  ran  round  about 
that  whole  region,  and  began  to  carry  about  on 
their  beds  those  that  were  sick,  where  they  heard 

56  he  was.  And  wheresoever  he  entered,  into  vil- 
lages, or  into  cities,  or  into  the  country,  they  laid 
the  sick  in  the  marketplaces,  and  besought  him 
that  they  might  touch  if  it  were  but  the  border  of 
his  garment:  and  as  many  as  touched  him  were 
made  whole. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  53,  "Gennesaret":  a  tract  of  land  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  from  Magdala  on  the  south  to 
et  Tabghah  on  the  north,  and  extending  backward  to  the 
irregular  line  of  the  hills  that  bound  it  on  the  west. 
See  map  opposite  p.  60.  "Moored":  made  fast.  Vs.  55, 
"on  their  beds":  see  notes  on  211.  Vs.  56,  "marketplaces"!: 
the  natural  place  for  the  people  to  assemble. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Where  is  the  land  of  Gennesaret  ?  (2)*  How  did 
the  people  in  this  region  receive  Jesus?  (3)  Does  vs. 
56  refer  to  a  single  occasion,  or  to  an  extended  period? 
(4)*  Count  up  the  various  acts  and  kinds  of  work  which 

87 


88      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

Jesus  is  reported  to  have  done  in  6^0-^6.  (5)  What 
impression  does  the  passage  give  of  his  daily  life?  (6)* 
What  is  said  or  implied  to  have  been  the  motive  or 
motives  of  all  his  work?  (7)*  In  what  respects  was 
Jesus'  life  in  Nazareth  (c/.  notes  and  questions  on  6  3) 
before  he  entered  on  his  public  work  different  from  his 
life  as  here  described?  In  what  respects  was  it  doubt- 
less like  it?  (8)  Is  the  change  from  a  quiet,  private, 
home  life  to  a  busy  public  life  likely  in  itself  to  change 
the  spirit  and  motive  of  one's  life?  (9)  How  far  is 
Jesus'  life  a  pattern  for  us  to  imitate  as  respects  its 
motives  ?  How  far  is  it  possible  for  us  to  engage  in  the 
same  specific  forms  of  activity  in  which  he  engaged? 
(10)  Which  constitutes  one  a  follower  of  Jesus,  imitating 
him  in  outward  conduct,  or  being  governed  by  his 
motives  and  spirit? 


A    MARKET-PLACE 


SECTION  XXVI 
ON  EATING  WITH  UNWASHEN  HANDS,  7:1-23 

And  there  are  gathered  together  unto  him  the 
Pharisees,  and  certain  of  the  scribes,  which  had 
come  from  Jerusalem,  and  had  seen  that  some  of 
his  disciples  ate  their  bread  with  defiled,  that  is, 
unwashen,  hands.  For  the  Pharisees,  and  all  the 
Jews,  except  they  wash  their  hands  ^diligently, 
eat  not,  holding  the  tradition  of  the  elders:  and 
wlien  they  come  from  the  marketplace,  except  they 
Vash  themselves,  they  eat  not:  and  many  other 
things  there  be,  which  they  have  received  to  hold, 
*  washings  of  cups,  and  pots,  and  brasen  vessels.   \5;^3^"^^*^- 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "  the  Pharisees  and  certain  of  the  scribes  which 
had  come  down  from  Jerusalem":  either  Galilean  scribesf 
and  Pharisees!  who  had  recently  been  to  Jerusalem,  or  a 
party  that  had  been  sent  from  Jerusalem;  probably  the 
latter;  cf. 3 22.  Vs. 3,  "  holding  the  tradition  of  the  elders": 
a  phrase  which  shows  that  all  these  regulations  were 
looked  upon  as  religious,  not  as  sanitary  regulations  or 
maTters  of  social  propriety.  The  tradition  of  the  elders  is 
that  body  of  teachings  and  usages  which  had  gradually 
grown  up  among  the  Pharisees  and  which  were  regarded 
by  them  as  sacred  and  binding,  as  much  so  as  the  Old 
Testament  law.  Cf.  Gal.  1 1^.  The  elders  are  the  teachers 
of  preceding  generations.  Vs.  4,  "  except  they  wash  them- 
selves": bathe  themselves;  the  law  required  this  for  many 
kinds  of  defilement  (see  Lev.,  chaps.  14,  15,  16),  and  the 

89 


90      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

And  the  Pharisees  and  the  scribes  ask  him,  Why     5 
walk  not  thy  disciples  according  to  the  tradition 
iGr.  common  of   the  elders,  but  eat   their  bread  with  Mefiled 

hands?     And  he  said  unto  them,  Well  did  Isaiah     6 
prophesy  of  you  hypocrites,  as  it  is  written, 

This  people  honoureth  me  with  their  lips, 

But  their  heart  is  far  from  me. 

But  in  vain  do  they  worship  me,  7 

Teaching  as  their  doctrines  the  precepts  of  men. 
Ye  leave  the  commandment  of  God,  and  hold  fast     8 
'  the  tradition  of  men.     And  he  said  unto  them,     9 
Full  well  do  ye  reject  the  commandment  of  God, 
that  ye  may  keep  your  tradition.     For  Moses  said,   lo 
Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother;  and.  He  that 

Pharisees  had  added  to  these  such  defilement  as  one  might 
get,  even  without  knowing  it,  in  the  marketplace."!"  Vs.  6, 
"well  did  Isaiah  prophesy  of  you  hypocrites":  in  his 
preaching  to  the  people  of  his  day,  aptly  described  your 
nation,  your  ancestors  and  you.  The  implication  is  that 
the  nation  still  retained  the  characteristics  that  Isaiah 
reproved  in  his  day.  See  Isa.  2913.  Vs.  10,  "for  Moses 
said,"  etc.:  an  illustration  of  the  statement  made  in  vss.  8, 
9.  The  commandment  to  honor  one's  parents  is  a  com- 
•  mand  of  God.  Cf.  Matt.  15  4.  Vs.  11,  "Corban":  For  a 
man  to  say  that  his  property  was  "Corban"  properly 
meant  that  it  was  devoted  to  God,  and  the  Pharisees  in- 
sisted that  one  who  had  made  such  a  vow  must  not  employ 
his  property  for  the  relief  even  of  father  and  mother.  But 
strangely  enough  they  did  not  insist  that  he  should  in  any 
practical  way  devote  it  to  God.  He  could  keep  it  and  use 
it  for  himself  just  as  before.  Thus  in  putting  a  strained 
emphasis  on  the  sacredness  of  the  vow,  they  set  aside  the 


Eating  with  Unwashen  Hands       91 

speaketh  evil  of  father  or  mother,  let  him  ^die 

11  the  death:  but  ye  say,  If  a  man  shall  say  to  his 
father  or  his  mother,  That  wherewith  thou  might- 
est  have  been  profited  by  me  is  Corban,  that  is  to 

12  say,  Given  io  God;  ye  no  longer  ^suffer  him  to  do  g permit 

13  ^aught  for  his  father  or  his  mother;  making  void  i anything 
the  word  of  God  by  your  tradition,  which  ye  have 

14  delivered :  and  many  such  like  things  ye  do.  And 
he  called  to  him  the  multitude  again,  and  said 
unto  them.  Hear  me  all  of  you,  and  understand: 

15  there  is  nothing  from  without  the  man,  that  going 
into  him  can  defile  him:  but  the  things  which 
proceed  out  of  the  man  are  those  that  defile  the 

17   man.     And  when  he  was  entered  into  the  house 

plain  duty  to  care  for  one's  parents.  Vs.  13,  "  making  void 
the  word  of  God":  setting  aside  and  disregarding  the 
command  to  honor  one's  parents  (Exod.  20 12;  21 15).  For 
he  who  allows  his  parents  to  suffer  for  lack  of  that  which 
he  might  give  them  certainly  does  not  honor  them.  Vss. 
14,  15:  Having  spoken  in  vss.  6-13  of  the  authority  and 
value  of  the  tradition  of  the  elders  in  general,  taking  an 
illustration  from  the  treatment  of  parents  rather  than 
from  ceremonial  cleanness,  of  which  the  Pharisees  had 
spoken,  Jesus  comes  back  in  vss.  14,  15  to  speak  of  the 
particular  matter  about  which  the  Pharisees  had  com- 
plained ^ —  eating  with  unwashed  hands.  The  Pharisaic 
handwashing  was  based  on  the  fear  that  there  might  be 
something  on  the  hands  that  was  ceremonially  "unclean," 
which,  in  eating  his  food,  a  man  might  swallow  without 
knowing  it,  and  so  defile  himself.  "  There  is  nothing  from 
without  the  man,"  etc.:  The  contrast  is  between  food  that 
goes  into  the  man,  and  moral  action  which  proceeds  from 


92      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

from  the  multitude,  his  disciples  asked  of  him  the 
parable.     And    he   saith   unto  them,   Are  ye  so  18 
without   understanding   also?     Perceive  ye  not, 
that  whatsoever  from  without  goeth  into  the  man, 
it  cannot  defile  him ;  because  it  goeth  not  into  his  19 
heart,  but  into  his  belly,  and  goeth  out  into  the 
draught?     This  he  said,  making  all  meats  clean. 
And  he  said.  That  which  proceedeth  out  of  the  20 
man,  that  defileth  the  man.    Forirom  within,  out  21 
of  the  heart  of  men,  evil  thoughts  proceed,  forni- 
cations,   thefts,    murders,    adulteries,    covetings,  22 
wickednesses,  deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye, 
railing,  pride,  foolishness:   all  these  evil   things  23 
proceed  from  within,  and  defile  the  man. 


him.  Vs.  18,  "perceive  ye  not":  Jesus  appeals  to  the 
moral  perception7ttre' common  sense  of  his  disciples.  Vs. 
19,  "making  all  meats  clean":  a  remark  of  the  evangelist, 
who  perceived  that  the  principle  which  Jesus  laid  down 
swept  away  the  whole  system  of  clean  and  unclean  foods. 
(C/.  Acts  109-16;  1  Tim.  4  3).  Vs.  23,  "all  these  evil  things 
proceed  from  within,  and  defile  the  man":  Notice  the  last 
clause :  the  evil  that  men  do,  their  evil  thoughts  and 
deeds,  do  not  simply  show  their  wickedness,  but  defile 
them,  make  them  wicked.  Men  are  not,  then,  the  helpless 
victims  of  evil  hearts  born  in  them,  but  the  creators  of 
their  own  evil  characters.  What  Jesus  is  emphasizing  is 
that  a. man  is  not  made  sinful  by  eating  something  that  is 
ceremonially  unclean,  but  by  thinking  and  doing  what  is_  \ 
morally  wrong. 


Eating  with  Unwashen  Hands       93 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  In  what  previous  passages  of  this  gospel  have  the 
scribes  or  the  Pharisees  been  mentioned?  (2)*  What 
has  been  their  usual  attitude  toward  Jesus?  (3)  Were 
the  persons  mentioned  in  vs.  1  GaUleans  or  from  Jeru- 
salem ?  (4)  Was  the  eating  with  unwashed  hands  an 
offense,  in  the  eyes  of  the  Pharisees,  against  cleanliness 
or  against  ceremonial  purity — in  other  words,  a  social 
or  a  religious  fault  ?  (5)*  In  what  various  ways  did  the 
Pharisees  endeavor  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  cere- 
monial defilement  ?  (6)  What  complaint  did  they  make 
to  Jesus?  (7)*  What  is  meant  by  the  "  tradition  of  the 
elders"  ?  (8)  With  what  two  sins  mentioned  in  the  quota- 
tion from  Isaiah  does  Jesus  charge  the  Pharisees? 
Which  of  these  two  does  he  emphasize  in  vs.  8?  (9) 
Does  vs.  9  simply  repeat  the  thought  of  vs.  8,  or  does  it 
add  something  to  it  ?  (10)  What  illustration  does  Jesus 
give  in  vss.  10-12  of  the  setting  aside  of  the  command- 
ments of  God?  (11)  What  does  Jesus  say  is  the  effect 
of  this  strange  custom  of  the  Pharisees  (see  explanation 
in  the  notes)  by  which  a  man  might  by  nominally  devot- 
ing his  goods  to  God,  refuse  to  use  them  for  his  parents, 
yet  still  keep  them  for  himself?  What  does  Jesus  think 
of  the  command  of  the  Old  Testament  that  children 
should  honor  their  parents?  (12)*  Looking  back  now 
over  vss.  1-13,  state  what  was  Jesus'  estimate  (a)  of  the 
authority  of  the  Pharisaic  traditions;  (b)  of  the  effect  of 
them  as  taught  and  practiced  by  the  Pharisees;  (c)  of 
the  value  of  a  religion  which  not  only  permitted  but 
encouraged  such  things;  (d)  of  a  worship  which  is  not 
of  the  heart  but  of  the  lips  only?  (13)  Do  men  today 
ever  make  the  mistake  of  putting  traditions  of  men 
above  commands  of  God?    How?    (14)  What  does  Jesus 


94      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

teach  in  vs.  15  about  the  possibility  of  "defilement"  by 
what  one  eats  ?  (15)  To  what  kind  of  things  does  the 
latter  part  of  vs.  15  refer,  and  what  does  it  mean?  (16)* 
Study  carefully  Jesus'  explanation  of  his  teaching  in  vss. 
18-23;  see  that  you  understand  each  word  and  sentence, 
and  then  state  clearly  the  principle  that  he  lays  down. 
(17)*  Does  his  teaching  here  abolish  the  distinction  be- 
tween "clean"  and  "unclean"  meats  as  taught  in  the  Old 
Testament  (Lev.,  chap.  11)?  Notice  the  comment  of  the 
evangelist  at  the  end  of  vs.  19.  (18)  Would  it  be  a  fair 
use  of  Jesus'  teaching  to  say  that  what  we  eat  and  drink 
has  no  moral  effect  on  us  whatever,  direct  or  indirect? 
Or  does  he  rather  teach  the  broad  principle  that  a  man's 
character  and  standing  before  God  are  determined,  not 
by  the  food  he  eats,  but  by  his  thoughts  and  actions? 

(19)  What  kind  of  purity  does  Jesus  commend  in  Matt. 
58?  What  blessing  does  he  pronounce  on  those  who 
possess  such  purity?     How  is  such   purity  attained? 

(20)  Whence  does  Jesus  say  evil  thoughts  and  deeds 
come?  (21)  Does  every  human  heart  produce  these  evil 
things?  If  not,  how  can  we  see  to  it  that  our  hearts 
produce  only  good  things?  See  Matt.  1233-35.  (22)  In 
this  passage  Jesus  declares  that  the  teaching  of  the 
Pharisees,  handed  down  from  the  past,  was  seriously 
wrong  (vss.  6-9);  one  commandment  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment he  calls  the  commandment  of  God  (vs.  9)  and 
the  word  of  God  (vs.  13);  while  another  command  of 
the  Old  Testament  (vs.  19)  he  entirely  sets  aside  as  not 
fitted  to  the  moral  nature  of  man;  what  must  we  think 
of  the  authority  of  one  who  had  the  right  to  teach  in 
this  way?  (23)  If  the  rules  of  the  Old  Testament  and 
the  teachings  of  Jesus  differ  in  any  respect,  which  ought 
we  to  follow? 


Eating  with  Unwashen  Hands       95 

*REVIEW  QUESTIONS 

(1)  Where  does  Mark's  account  of  the  Galilean 
ministry  begin?  (2)  Who  are  the  first  four  disciples 
that  Jesus  is  recorded  as  having  called?  (3)  Whom 
did  Jesus  choose  as  his  apostles  ?  (4)  With  what  has 
Jesus  been  occupied  during  the  time  spent  in  Galilee? 

(5)  What  different  kinds  of  miracles  has  he  wrought  ? 

(6)  In  what  form  has  he  put  his  teaching  so  far  as  Mark 
records  it  ?  (7)  What  are  some  of  the  principal  subjects 
about  which  he  has  taught  ?  (8)  What  is  the  subject  of 
the  parables  in  chap.  4?  (9)  Does  this  gospel  record 
Jesus  as  having  up  to  this  time  announced  himself  as 
the  Messiah  ?  (10)  What  has  been  the  general  attitude 
of  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  toward  him?  Of  the  peo- 
ple generally?  (11)  Are  any  disciples  mentioned  ex- 
cept the  twelve  apostles?  Is  it  to  be  supposed  that 
none  others  had  believed  in  him? 


'  SECTION  XXVII 

THE    SYRO-PHCENICIAN    WOMAN'S    DAUGHTER, 

7 :  24-30 

And  from  thence  he  arose,  and  went  away  into    24 

1  territory    the  ^  borders  of  Tyre  and  Sidon.     And  he  entered 

into  a  house,  and  would   have  no  man  know  it: 
and   he    could   not    be   hid.     But   straightway  a    25 
woman,    whose    little    daughter  kad   an   unclean 
spirit,-  having  heard  of  him,  came  and  fell  down 

2  gentile      at  hls  feet.     Now  the  woman  was  a  ^  Greek,  a    26 

Syrophoenician  by  race.     And  she  besought  him 

3  demon      that  he  would  cast  forth   the  Mevil  out  of  her 

daughter.     And  he  said  unto  her.  Let  the  children    27 
first  be  filled:  for  it  is  not  meet  to  take  the  chil- 
dren's bread  and  cast  it  to  the  dogs.      But  she    28 
answered  and  saith  unto  him.  Yea,  Lord :  even  the 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  24, "  into  the  borders  of  Tyre  and  Sidon  ":  i.  e.,  into 
Phoenicia,  of  which  Tyre  and  Sidon  were  the  chief  cities. 
Tyre  is  about  thirty-five  miles,  in  an  air  hne,  northwest 
from  the  Sea  of  Gahlee,  and  Sidon  about  twenty-five  miles 
farther  north,  both  on  the  Mediterranean  coast.  See  the 
map.  This  journey  carries  Jesus  entirely  out  of  Jewish 
territory.  "Would  have  no  man  know  it":  This  whole 
journey  was  not  for  preaching,  but  for  rest  and  for  teach- 
ing the  disciples.  Vs.  26,  "a  Syrophoenician  by  race":  a 
descendant  of  the  Phoenicians  of  Syria  as  distinguished 
from  the  Carthaginians  or  Phoenicians  of  Africa.  Vs.  27, 
"  let  the  children  first  be  filled,"  etc.:  Jesus'  personal  work 

96 


Syro-Ph(enician  Woman's  Daughter     97 

dogs  tinder  the  table  eat  of  the  children's  crumbs. 

29  And  he  said  unto  her,  For  this  saying  go  thy  way; 

30  the  Mevil  is  gone  out  of  thy  daughter.     And  she 
'  went  away  unto  her  house,  and  found  the  child 

laid  upon  the  bed,  and  the  Mevil  gone  out. 

was  limited  to  his  own  nation,  not  because  the  gentile  was 
of  less  worth  than  the  Jew  (see  Luke  4  25-27),  or  because 
Jesus  cared  nothing  for  the  gentiles,  but  because  he  had  to 
begin  with  his  own  people  and  limit  his  personal  efforts  to 
them  (Matt.  15  24)  in  order  to  do  his  great  work  for  the 
world.  Yet  he  could  go  outside  the  Jewish  nation  if  it 
seemed  wise,  and  the  woman's  eagerness  to  have  her 
daughter  healed,  and  her  humility  shown  in  her  answer 
to  Jesus,  made  an  appeal  to  his  compassion  that  led  him 
in  this  case  to  do  so. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Where  are  Tyre  and  Sidon?  In  what  direction, 
and  how  far  from  the  Sea  of  Galilee?  In  what  country? 
(2)  Was  the  country  around  Tyre  and  Sidon  Jewish  or 
gentile  territory?  (3)*  Did  Jesus  make  this  journey  in 
order  to  preach  to  the  people  of  this  region,  or  for  rest 
and  quiet?  (4)  Who  sought  out  JesUs,  and  what 
did  she  want?  (5)  Of  what  race  was  she?  (6)  How 
did  Jesus  first  answer?  What  did  the  woman  reply? 
What  did  Jesus  finally  do  for  her?  (7)*  What  does  vs. 
27  imply  as  to  the  limits  of  Jesus'  personal  mission 
(Matt.  15  24)?  (8)  What  was  it  in  the  woman,  and  what 
in  Jesus  himself,  that  led  him  finally  to  overstep  these 
limits  and  heal  the  girl?  (9)  How  does  he  treat  the 
sabbath  law  in  comparison  with  the  demand  made  by 
human  need?  See  Mark  3i-5;  Luke  142-6;  Matt.  12  7. 
W^hat  do  these  things  suggest  as  to  what  was  for  Jesus 


98      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

the  law  that  is  above  every  other  law?  (10)  Remem- 
bering that  Jesus  showed  us  in  his  life  what  the 
character  of  God  is,  consider  carefully  whether  this 
story  has  anything  to  teach  us  concerning  prayer; 
for  example,  concerning  persistence  and  earnestness  in 
prayer;  concerning  the  compassion  of  God  for  the 
suffering;  whether  strong  desire  for  a  good  thing 
expressing  itself  in  prayer  may  be  one  of  the  conditions 
on  which  God  can  consistently  give  us  the  things  we 
ask  for,  and  without  which  it  may  be  impossible  for 
him  consistently  to  give  them;  concerning  the  propriety 
and  use  of  praying  for  others.  Does  it  teach  that  God 
can  be  teased  into  doing  for  us  things  that  are  not  good 
for  us;  or  that,  being  unwilling  to  do  things  that  are 
good,  needs  to  be  teased  into  doing  them?  Cf. 
Matt.  7  11. 


SECTION  XXVIII 
THE  DEAF  AND  DUMB  MAN  HEALED,  7 :  31-37 

31  And  again  he  went  out  from  the  'borders  of  i  territory 
Tyre,  and  came  through  Sidon  unto  the  sea   of 
Galilee,    through    the    midst    of   the    borders    of 

32  Decapolis.  And  they  bring  unto  him  one  that 
was  deaf,  and  had  an  impediment  in  his  speech; 
and  they  beseech  him  to  lay  his  hand  upon  him. 

33  And  he  took  him  aside  from  the  multitude  pri- 
vately, and  put  his  fingers  into  his  ears,  and  he 

34  spat,  and  touched  his  tongue;  and  looking  up  to 
heaven,  he  sighed,  and  saith  unto  him,  Ephphatha, 

35  that  is.  Be  opened.  And  his  ears  were  opened, 
and  the  bond  of  his  tongue  was  loosed,  and  he 

36  spake  plain.  And  he  charged  them  that  they 
should  tell  no  man,  but  the  more  he  charged 
them,  so  much  the  more  a  s^reat  deal  they  ^pub-  "itoidu 

37  lished  it.  And  they  were  beyond  measure  aston- 
ished, saying,  He  hath  done  all  things  well:  he 
maketh  even  the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the  dumb  to 
speak. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  31,  "  from  the  borders  of  Tyre  ....  through  Sidon 
unto  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  through  the  midst  of  the  borders 
of  Decapolis":  These  words  show  that  the  journey  was 
long  and  not  in  a  direct  line.  It  was  almost  entirely  out- 
side of  Jewish  territory,  and  was  not  a  preaching  tour,  but 

99 


100     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

doubtless,  like  the  journey  from  Galilee  northward  (vs.  24), 
for  quiet  and  rest.  If  Jesus  took  the  road  going  east  from 
Sidon,  he  crossed  the  Lebanon  and  anti-Lebanon  mountains, 
and  passed  on  toward  Damascus,  then  south,  and  finally  west 
to  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  If  he  followed  the  road  leading 
southeast  from  Sidon,  he  went  to  Cesarea  Philippi,  thence 
southeast,  and  then  southwest  toward  the  sea,  passing 
through  the  midst  of  the  Decapolis.t  Vss.  »32-37:  This 
incident  probably  took  place  on  Jesus'  return  into  the 
vicinity  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee;  there  is  nothing  to  show 
that  the  man  was  a  gentile. 

\, 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Trace  on  the  map  the  course  of  Jesus'  journey  as 
described  in  vs.  31,  by  each  of  the  two  routes  which  he 
may  have  followed.  (2)*  Was  this  journey  mainly 
through  Jewish  or  gentile  territory?  (3)  What  was  its 
probable  purpose  ?  (4)  Where  did  the  incident  related 
in  vss.  32-37  take  place?     (5)*  Kelate  the  story. 


SECTION  XXIX 
THE  FEEDING  OF  THE  FOUR  THOUSAND,  8:1-10 

In  those  days,  when  there  was  again  a  great 
multitude,  and  they  had  nothing  to  eat,  he  called 
unto  him  his  disciples,  and  saith  unto  them,  I  have 
compassion  on  the  multitude,  because  they  con- 
tinue with  me  now  three  days,  and  have  nothing 
to  eat:  and  if  I  send  them  away  fasting  to  their 
home,  they  will  faint  in  the  way;  and  some  of 
them  are  come  from  far.  And  his  disciples  an- 
swered him.  Whence  shall  one  be  able  to  fill  these 
men  with  bread  here  in  a  desert  place  ?     And  he 


PALESTINIAN  BASKETS 

[Reprinted  by  permission  of  the  Sunday  School  Times] 

101 


102     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

asked  them,   How   many  loaves  have   ye?     And 
they  said,  Seven.     And  he  commandeth  the  mul-     6 
titude  to  sit  down  on  the  ground :  and  he  took  the 
seven  loaves,  and  having  given  thanks,  he  brake, 
and  gave  to  his  disciples,  to  set  before  them ;  and 
they  set  them   before  the  multitude.     And  they     7 
had  a  few  small  fishes:  and  having  blessed  them, 
he  commanded  to  set  these  also  before  them.    And     8 
they  did  eat,  and  were  filled :  and  they  took  up,  of 
broken  pieces  that  remained  over,  seven  baskets. 
And  they  were  about  four  thousand:  and  he  sent     9 
them  away.     And  straightway  he  entered  into  the  10 
boat  with  his  disciples,  and  came  into  the  parts  of 
Dalmanutha. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 
This  event  is  very  similar  to  the  feeding  of  the  five 
thousand.  Nothing  is  stated  about  the  place  except  that 
it  was  upon  the  shore  of  the  sea  (8  lO).  The  motive  of  Jesus 
is  the  same  as  on  the  other  occasion;  the  numbers  are  dif- 
ferent. See  vss.  5,8,9.  Vs.  10,  "parts  of  Dalmanutha": 
the  region  adjacent  to  Dalmanutha-t 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Tell  the  story  of  the  feeding  of  the  four  thou- 
sand. (2)*  Point  out  the  particulars  in  which  the 
narrative  differs  from  that  of  the  feeding  of  the  five 
thousand.  (3)  What  motive  moved  Jesus  to  feed  this 
multitude?  (4)  In  what  respects  is  Jesus'  conduct  in 
such  cases  an  example  to  us?  (5)*  To  what  place  did 
Jesus  go  after  the  feeding  of  the  multitude?  Where  is 
this  place? 


SECTION  XXX 

PHARISEES  DEMANDING  A  SIGN  FROM  HEAVEN, 

8:11-21 

11  And  the  Pharisees  came  forth,  and  began  to 
question  with  him,   seeking  of  him  a  sign  from 

12  heaven,  tempting  him.  And  he  sighed  deeply  in 
his  spirit,  and  saith,  Why  doth  this  generation 
seek  a  sign  ?  verily  I  say  unto  you.  There  shall  no 

13  sign  be  given  unto  this  generation.  And  he  left 
them,  and  again  entering  into  the  boat  departed 
to  the  other  side. 

14  And  they  forgot  to  take  bread;  and  they  had 
not  in  the  boat  with  them  more  than  one  loaf. 

15  And  he  charged  them,  saying,  Take  heed,  beware 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  11,  "a  sign  from  heaven":  some  striking  token 
from  the  skies.  Neither  the  attractiveness  of  Jesus'  strong 
personality,  which  seems  to  have  drawn  to  him  his  first 
constant  followers  (see  116-20;  213,14;  313),  nor  his  wonder- 
ful teaching,  which  appealed  to  many  (121,  22),  nor  his  heal- 
ing miracles,  which  attracted  many  (132, 37, 45),  were  sufficient 
for  these  Pharisees.  They  challenged  him  to  produce  "  a 
sign  from  heaven."  Vs.  12,  "sighed  deeply":  Such  a  de- 
mand was  painful  to  Jesus,  because  it  showed  that  men  did 
not  feel  the  force  of  the  evidence  which  his  life  already 
gave  in  abundance.  "No  sign  ....  unto  this  genera- 
'  tion  ":  no  sign  such  as  the  Pharisees  were  seeking.  Honest 
inquirers  already  possessed  all  the  evidence  they  needed, 
and  others  would  not  have  been  changed  in  heart  at  all  by 
such  signs  as  they  demanded.  Cf.  Luke  16  so,  3i. 
103 


104     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  the  leaven  of 
Herod.     And   they   reasoned    one  with   another,   16 
^IVailewe   ^^J^^^'  ^ ^^  havB  no  bread.     And  Jesus  perceiv-  17 
bread"^      lug  it  salth  unto  them,  Why  reason  ye,  because 
ye  have  no  bread?  do  ye  not  yet  perceive,  neither 
understand  ?  have  ye  your  heart  hardened  ?  Having  18 
eyes,  see  ye  not?  and  having  ears,  hear  ye  not? 
and  do  ye  not  remember  ?     When  I  brake  the  five  19 
loaves  among  the  five  thousand,  how  many  bas- 
kets full  of  broken  pieces  took  ye  up?     They  say 
unto  him.  Twelve.     And  when  the  seven  among  20 
the  four  thousand,  how  many  basketfuls  of  broken 
pieces  took  ye  up  ?    And  they  say  unto  him.  Seven. 
And  he  said  unto  them.  Do  ye  not   yet  under-  21 
stand? 

Vs.  15,  "  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  the  leaven  of 
Herod":  By  leaven  Jesus  means,  as  Matthew  says  in  1612, 
teachings  or  principles  of  living  which  change  the  charac- 
ter of  men  just  as  yeast  changes  the  dough  when  it  is 
mixed  with  it.  The  leaven  of  Herod  is  probably  worldly, 
and  especially  political,  ambition.  Vs.  17,  "  have  ye  your 
hearts  hardened?":  see  notes  on  652.  Vs.  21,  "do  ye 
not  yet  understand?"  viz.,  that  Jesus  was  able  to  provide 
for  their  physical  wants,  so  that  they  need  not  be  con- 
cerned about  that. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  What  sort  of  a  sign  did  the  Pharisees  demand 
of  Jesus?  What  had  Jesus  already  done  that  ren- 
dered such  a  sign  unnecessary?  (2)*  What  was  there 
in  this  request  that  grieved  Jesus  ?    (3)  Why  did  Jesus 


Pharisees  Demanding  a  Sign       105 

say  that  no  such  sign  should  be  given  to  that  genera- 
tion? (4)  Whither  did  Jesus  go  from  Dalmanutha? 
(5)*  What  warning  did  Jesus  address  to  his  disciples 
on  the  journey?  (6)  What  did  they  understand 
him  to  mean?  Why  did  the  word  "leaven"  suggest 
bread  to  them?  (7)*  For  what  does  he  reprove  them 
in  vs.  17  ?  (8)  What  does  the  phrase  "heart  hardened" 
mean?  (9)  W^hat  lesson  does  he  imply  they  should 
have  learned  from  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  and 
of  the  four  thousand?  What  has  this  lesson  to  do 
with  their  having  no  bread  or  only  one  loaf  ?  (10)  What 
did  he  really  mean  to  warn  them  against  in  vs.  15?  (11) 
What  would  this  teaching  of  Jesus  mean,  put  into 
words  that  would  apply  to  us? 


ORIENTAL   LOAVES    OF   BREAD 

[Reprinted  by  permiBsion  of  the  Sunday  School  Times] 


SECTION  XXXI 
A  BLIND  MAN  HEALED  NEAR  BETHSAIDA,  8:22-26 

And    they  come   unto    Bethsaida.     And   they  22 
bring  to  him  a  blind  man,  and  beseech  him  to 
touch  him.     And  he  took  hold  of  the  blind  man  23 
by  the  hand,  and  brought  him  out  of  the  village; 
and  when  he  had  spit  on  his  eyes,  and  laid  his 
1  anything    hauds  upou  him,  he  asked  him,  Seest  thou  ^ aught? 

And    he  looked  up,  and  said,  I  see  men;    for  I  24 
behold  them  as  trees,   walking.     Then  again  he  25 
laid  his  hands  upon  his  eyes ;   and  he  looked  sted- 
fastly,  and  was  restored,  and  saw  all  things  clearly. 
And  he  sent  him  away  to  his  home,  saying.  Do  26 
not  even  enter  into  the  village. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  22,  "Bethsaida''!  :  probably  Bethsaida  JuUas;  this 
is  the  only  one  that  we  are  sure  there  was;  and  in  the  next 
section  we  find  Jesus  going  toward  Cesarea  Philippi,  which 
is  east  of  the  Jordan.  (See  the  map.)  Vs.  26,  "  do  not  even 
enter  into  the  village":  Jesus  does  not  wish  attention 
drawn  to  his  work  as  a  healer;  this  is  not  his  chief  work. 
This  is  one  of  the  two  miracles  which  are  recorded  by 
Mark  only;  the  other  is  that  described  in  7  32-37.  The  two 
are  alike  in  several  points. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Where  is  the  Bethsaida  referred  to  in  vs.  22? 
(2)  Tell  the  story  of  the  blind  man  healed  there.     (3)* 
Compare  this  story  with  that  in  7  32-37^  indicating  points 
106 


Blind  Man  Healed  near  Bethsaida     107 

of  (a)  resemblance  and  (6)  difference.  (4)  What  com- 
mand did  Jesus  give  the  man  after  he  had  healed  him? 
What  was  the  reason  of  this  command!  (5)  Trace  the 
journeys  of  Jesus  from  the  time  he  left  for  his  first 
northern  tour  (1-^)  to  this  point. 


SCENE   ON   THE   SHORE   OF   THE   SEA   OP   GALILEE 
NEAR   BETHSAIDA 


SECTION  XXXII 

PETER'S  CONFESSION  OF  JESUS'  MESSIAHSHIP, 

8:27-30 

And  Jesus  went  forth,  and  his  disciples,  into  27 
the  villages  of  C^sarea  Philippi:  and  in  the  way 
he  asked  his  disciples,  saying  unto  them,  Who  do 
men  say  that  I  am?     And  they  told  him,  saying,  28 
John  the  Baptist :  and  others,  Elijah ;  but  others, 
One  of  the  prophets.     And  he  asked  them,  But  29 
who  say  ye  that  I  am  ?    Peter  answereth  and  saith 
unto  him.  Thou  art  the  Christ.     And  he  charged  30 
them  that  they  should  tell  no  man  of  him. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  27,  "  into  the  villages  of  Caesarea  Phillippi  "| :  into 
the  villages  near  Cesarea  Philippi  which  were  under  its 
rule.    The  journey  from  the   Sea  of  Galilee   was  about 
twenty-five  miles  in   length.     It   led   through   a  country 
whose    inhabitants  were    gentiles.     Like    the    preceding 
journey,  it  was  for  quiet,  not   for  preaching.    "Who  do 
men  say  that  I  am?  "  :     This  is  the  first  time  Jesus  is  said 
to  have  talked  with  his  disciples  about  his  name  or  title. 
Vs.  28,    "and  they  told   him  saying,  John    the   Baptist": 
c/.  614.    "Elijah":   cf.  Mai.  45;  John  121.    "One  of  the 
prophets":  i.  e.,  one  of  the  line  of  prophets  {cf.  Mark  615) 
or,  as  Luke  919  and  Matt.  1614  would  suggest,  an  ancient       ( 
prophet  risen  from  the  dead.    In  the  latter  case  all  three       | 
opinions  involve  the  idea  of  the  reappearance  of  one  from       j 
the  other  world.    Vs.  29,  "  Peter  answereth  ....  Thou  art^    ! 
the  Christ "  | :   So,  John  1  41  tells  us,  Andrew  thought  when 
Tia  first  saw  Jesus;  but  Peter's  confession  now  means  far 

108 


Peter  Confesses  Jesus'  Messiahship  109 

more  than  Andrew's  then,  because  Peter  has  been  with 
Jesus  for  months  and  has  learned  more  about  his  character, 
and  his  hopes  and  plans  for  the  future,  than  he  or  Andrew 
knew  at  first.  Jesus  has  not  been  in  all  respects  the  kind 
of  Messiah  they  had  looked  for  and  expected  him  to  be; 
but,  instead  of  leaving  him  because  of  this,  they  believed 
in  him  the  more  as  they  knew  him  better.  They  believed 
in  Mm,  and  their  declaration  that  he  was  the  Christ  was 
the  expression  of  that  faith.  Peter  had  even  at  this  time 
much  still  to  learn  concerning  Jesus  and  Jesus'  idea  of  his 
work  as  Messiah.  Vs.  30,  "and  he  charged  them  that  they 
should  tell  no  man  of  him":  that  they  should  not  announce 
that  he  was  the  Messiah.  The  people  in  general,  and  even 
many  of  Jesus'  followers  who  had  not  been  with  him  as 
much  as  the  twelve  apostles,  had  entirely  wrong  ideas  of 
the  work  of  the  Messiah,  thinking  it  was  to  set  up  an 
earthly  kingdom.  Therefore,  Jesus  did  not  want  them  to 
announce  him  as  the  Messiah,  lest  the  people  should  think 
that  he  was  intending  to  do  this  which  they  expected  the 
Messiah  to  do. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Where  is  Cesarea  Philippi?  (2)  What  is  meant 
by  "  the  villages  of  Cesarea  Philippi "  ?  (3)*  Did  Jesus 
undertake  this  second  northern  tour  {cf.  7^4)  for  the 
purpose  of  preaching  to  the  people,  or  for  quiet  and 
conversation  with  his  disciples?  (4)*  What  question 
did  Jesus  put  to  his  disciples;  and  what  various 
opinions  concerning  himself  did  they  say  were  current 
among  the  people?  (5)*  What  did  Peter,  speaking  for 
the  disciples,  say  was  their  belief  concerning  him? 
What  do  the  words  "the  Christ"  mean?  (6)*  How 
had  the  disciples  reached  this  conviction?  Had  they 
held  it  from  the  beginning?  (7)  Would  such  a  con- 
fession as  this  mean  any  more  now  that  they  had 
known  Jesus   for   months   than  the    same  confession 


110     The  Gospel  accokding  to  Mark 

would  have  meant  when  they  first  met  him  ?  (8)  Which 
is  more  important,  to  love  and  trust  Jesus  for  what  he 
really  is,  or  to  have  the  best  words  in  which  to  express 
that  faith  and  love?  (9)  If  one  is  drawn  to  Jesus  by 
his  real  character,  and  loves  and  trusts  him  for  what  he 
is,  what  will  happen  to  that  love  and  trust  as  one  comes 
to  know  Jesus  more  perfectly?  What  is  likely  to 
happen  to  one's  expression  of  that  love  and  faith  ?  (10) 
Why  does  Jesus  forbid  his  disciples  to  tell  others  that 
he  is  the  Christ  (vs.  30)?  Would  such  a  statement 
made  to  the  people,  whose  ideas  of  the  Christ  were  so 
different  from  those  of  Jesus  himself,  tend  to  misrepre- 
sent Jesus  to  them?  (11)  Why  was  it  safe  for  Jesus  to 
talk  with  his  disciples  about  his  messiahship,  when  it 
was  still  unsafe  to  do  so  with  the  people  generally? 


SECTION  XXXIII 

JESUS'  PREDICTION  OF  HIS  OWN  DEATH  AND 
RESURRECTION,  8 :  31—9 : 1 

31  And  he  began  to  teach  them,  that  the  Son  of 
man  must  suffer  many  things,  and  be  rejected  by 
the  elders,  and  the  chief  priests,  and  the  scribes, 
and  be  killed,  and   after  three  days   rise   again. 

32  And  he  spake  the  saying  openly.    And  Peter  took 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  31,  "and  he  began  to  teach  them  that  the  Son  of 
manf  must  suffer  many  things":  As  the  disciples  are  con- 
vinced that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  he  now  teaches  them 
another  truth,  viz.,  that  he  must,  nevertheless,  suffer  many 
things.  "And  be  rejected  by  the  elders,  and  the  chief 
priests,  and  the  scribes":  i.  e.,  by  the  leaders  of  the  Jewish 
nation.  "And  be  killed":  All  this  —  the  suffering,  rejec- 
tion, death — is  as  far  as  possible  from  what  it  was  generally 
supposed  the  Messiah  would  experience.  Instead  he  was 
to  be  welcomed,  and  to  reign  and  triumph.  But  Jesus  sees 
clearly  that  he  is  to  accomplish  his  mission  only  through 
suffering,  rejection,  and  death,  and  that  too  at  the  hands 
of  the  leaders  of  his  own  people.  And  now  the  time  has 
come  when  the  disciples  must  begin  to  learn  this  lesson,  to 
them  so  hard  to  learn.  He  had  intimated  it  before  (2  20), 
but  this  is  the  first  clear  expression  of  it.  "And  after 
three  days  rise  again":  The  death  that  Jesus  foresaw  did 
not  mean  defeat  of  his  life-purpose.  He  is  to  accomplish 
his  work,  and  death  will  only  bring  a  short  interruption  of 
it.  Vs.  32,  "Peter  took  him,  and  began  to  rebuke  him": 
(c/.  Matt.  16  22).  That  Peter  should  venture  to  reprove 
Jesus  is  surprising,  but  it  is  not  strange  that  he  found  it 
hard  to  accept  Jesus'  statement  of  his  death.  Not  only 
111 


112     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

him,  and  began  to  rebuke  him.  But  he  turning  33 
about,  and  seeing  his  disciples,  rebuked  Peter, 
and  saith.  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan:  for  thou 
mindest  not  the  things  of  God,  but  the  things  of 
men.  And  he  called  unto  him  the  multitude  with  34 
his  disciples,  and  said  unto  them.  If  any  man 
would  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and 

was  all  this  contrary,  as  was  said  above,  to  the  common 
idea  of  the  Messiah  which  Peter  still  held  in  large  part, 
but  his  strong  affection  for  Jesus  would  make  it  still 
harder  for  him  to  accept  the  thought  of  his  death.  Cf. 
John  12  34;  Luke  24  20,  21,  26.  Vs.  33,  "get  thee  behind  me, 
Satan":  This  suggestion  of  Peter  is  a  temptation  to  Jesus; 
he  would  gladly  believe  that  his  work  could  be  accom- 
plished without  rejection  and  death.  But  he  instantly, 
puts  the  temptation  away.  "  Thou  mindest  not  the  things 
of  God  " :  thinkest  not  the  thoughts  of  God.  Vs.  34,  "  if  any 
man  would  come  after  me  ":  be  my  follower,  disciple.  "  Let 
him  deny  himself  ":  This  means  much  more  than  is  usually 
meant  by  the  word  "  self-denial."  To  deny  one's  self  is  to 
cease  to  follow  one's  own  will,  or  to  make  one's  own 
interest  and  pleasure  the  object  or  end  of  one's  life,  and 
instead  of  this  to  make  the  good  of  men  the  object  of  one's 
life  and  to  follow  God's  will.  (Mark  10  42-45;  John  4  34;  5  30;  ' 
Mai*k  3  35.)  "And  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me":  To 
take  up  the  cross  and  follow  him  is  not  necessarily  to  die 
on  the  cross,  but  it  is  to  be  ready,  as  he  was  (vs.  31),  to  die 
in  obedience  to..the  will  of  God  and  for  the  good  of  men. 
Notice  that  these  words  apply  not  only  to  the  twelve 
apostles,  but  to  all  who  would  follow  him.  Vs.  35,  "for 
whosoever  would  save  his  life "f  shall  lose  it":  The  word 
"life"  means  practically  "one's  self,"  the  energies  and 
capacities  of  a  living  being  (as  in  the  English  phrase  "  to 
waste  one's  life  ").    One  who  tries  to  hold  these  for  himself 


Jesus'  Pbedigtion  of  his  Death     113 

35  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me.  For  whosoever 
would  save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  and  whosoever 
shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake  and  the  gospel's 

36  shall  save  it.     For  what  doth  it  profit  a  man,  to 

37  gain  the  whole  world,  and  forfeit  his  life?  For 
what  should  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  life? 

38  For  whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my 

really  wastes  them,  throws  them  away.  "And  whosoever 
shall  lose  his  life":  whosoever  shall  freely  use  his  life's 
energies,  if  need  be  even  unto  dying.  "  For  my  sake  and 
the  gospel's":  in  devotion  to  me,  for  the  same  cause  that 
I  died  for,  and  for  the  salvation  of  men;  this  is  a  very  im- 
portant point,  that  of  the  object  for  which  one  spends  his 
life;  he  may  work  and  suffer  for  some  purpose  which  would 
not  help  in  the  salvation  of  men;  and  in  that  case  he  would 
not  be  saving  life.  "Shall  save  it":  not  shall  escape  death, 
but  shall,  by  making  the  highest  use  of  life's  energies  and 
powers,  preserve  life  from  waste  and  destruction.  Vs.  36, 
"for  what  doth  it  profit  a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world 
and  forfeit  his  life  ?  "  In  this  verse  Jesus  appeals  to  the  nat- 
ural and  right  desire  to  make  the  highest  use  of  one's  self. 
Nothing  that  a  man  can  get  can  make  up  for  the  waste  of 
one's  life-energies,  one's  self.  Vs.  37,  "  for  what  should  a 
man  give":  rather,  what  shall  he  give,  what  is  there  that 
he  can  give?  When  one's  life  is  wasted,  there  is  nothing 
with  which,  though  a  man  possess  the  world,  it  can  be 
bought  back;  and  without  it  everything  else  is  worthless. 
Vs.  38,  "for  whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my 
words  ":  This^verse  goes  back  to  the  thought  of  giving  up 
r.fe  for  Jesus'  sake  (vs.  35),  and  the  temptation  to  forsake 
him  rather  than  do  so.  "  When  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father  with  the  holy  angels":  another  proof  that  Jesus 
'  was  confident  that  his  death  would  not  be  defeat  either 
for  himself  or  for  the  kingdom;  he  would  return  in  triumph 


114     The  Gospel  acookding  to  Mark 

wprds  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation, 
the  Son  of  man  also  shall  be  ashamed  of  him, 
when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with 
the  holy  angels.  And  he  said  unto  them.  Verily  9:1 
I  say  unto  you.  There  be  some  here  of  them  that 
stand  6?/,  which  shall  in  no  wise  taste  of  death,  till 
they  see  the  kingdom  of  God  come  with  power. 

(c/.  13 26,  27).  Chap.  9,  vs.  1,  "shall  in  no  wise  taste  of  death, 
till  they  see  the  kingdom  of  God  come  with  power":  a  dis- 
tinct prediction  that  in  the  lifetime  of  some  then  present 
the  kingdom  of  God  should  come.  The  expression  proba- 
bly refers  to  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  in  the  conversion 
of  multitudes  who  should  believe  on  him  in  the  times  of 
the  apostles  after  his  resurrection. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  With  what  other  teaching  concerning  himself 
did  Jesus  follow  up  the  confession  of  his  messiahship 
by  Peter  (vs.  31)?  Notice  carefully  the  several  elements 
of  the  teaching.  Had  Jesus  ever  told  his  disciples 
these  things  before?  (2)*  How  did  Peter  receive  this 
new  teaching?  (3)  Would  Jesus'  statement  that  he 
must  die  seem  to  Peter  to  contradict  the  statement  he 
had  just  made  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  if  he  (Peter) 
still  held  to  the  common  Jewish  idea  of  the  Messiah  ? 
(4)  What  else  would  make  it  difficult  for  Peter  to  be- 
lieve that  Jesus  was  to  die?  (5)*  What  does  Jesus 
mean  by  calling  Peter  "Satan"?  Was  Peter's  rejec- 
tion of  the  idea  of  death  a  temptation  to  Jesus?  (6) 
Did  Jesus  dread  suffering?  (7)  Which  requires  the 
greater  faith  and  courage,  not  to  dread  suffering,  or, 
though  dreading  it,  to  endure  it  ?    (8)  From  what  does 


Jesus'  Prediction  of  his  Death     115 

Jesus  say  Peter  got  his  ideas  about  the  work  of  the 
Christ  (vs.  33)?  (9)  What  does  Jesus  tell  the  multi- 
tude were  the  conditions  of  being  his  disciples  (vs.  34)? 
Notice  carefully  each  element  of  this  statement,  the 
meaning  of  each,  and  the  relation  between  it  and  what 
Jesus  had  just  said  about  himself.  (10)  Does  Jesus 
lay  down  one  principle  of  life  for  himself  and  another 
for  the  disciples,  or  insist  on  the  same  principle  for 
himself  and  them?  (11)  Will  one  who  does  what  Jesus 
here  indicates  as  the  conditions  of  discipleship  neces- 
sarily die  a  violent  death?  *State  Jesus'  conditions  of 
discipleship  in  words  that  you  yourself  understand. 
(12)  How  does  Jesus  say  we  really  waste  (lose)  life,  by 
trying  to  keep  it  for  ourselves,  or  by  giving  it  out  freely 
for  others?  How  do  we  really  save  it,  keep  it  from 
going  to  waste?  (13)  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"life,"  and  what  does  vs.  36  mean?  How  do  people 
really  do  that  of  which  Jesus  speaks  in  this  verse? 
(14)  Notice  that  vs.  37  refers  to  the  buying  back  of  a 
wasted  life.  Can  this  be  done?  (15)*  These  vss.  34-37, 
especially  vs.  35,  are  sometimes  said  to  contain  the 
"  secret  of  Jesus,"  i.  e.,  the  central  principle  of  his  life 
and  of  his  teaching.  Try  to  state  the  principle  as 
clearly  as  you  can.  (16)  Consider  how  your  life  would 
be  lived  if  lived  on  this  principle.  What  will  be  the 
result  in  the  end  of  unwillingness  to  adopt  Jesus'  prin- 
ciples of  life  (vs.  38)  ?  (17)  To  what  event  does  9 1 
probably  refer?  W^hich  is  more  important,  that  we  be 
able  to  interpret  obscure  predictions  such  as  these,  or 
that  we  understand  and  adopt  the  great  moral  prin- 
ciples that  Jesus  teaches  in  8  ^^-37  '^ 

Few  passages  of  the  New  Testament  throw  more 
light  upon  the  character  and  mission  of  Jesus,  or  contain 
more  truths  that  it  is  important  for  us  to  vmderstand, 


116     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

and  to  believe,  and  to  follow,  than  this  one.  Do  not 
pass  it  by  without  understanding  it  as  fully  as  pos- 
sible, and  considering  carefully  what  you  ought  to  do 
in  view  of  it. 


SECTION  XXXIV 
THE  TRANSFIGURATION,  9:2-13 

2  And  after  six  days  Jesus  taketh  with  him  Peter, 
and  James,  and  John,  and  bringeth  them  up  into 
a  high    mountain    apart  by   themselves:    and  he 

3  was  transfigured  before  them:  and  his  garments 
became  glistering,  exceeding  white;  so  as  no  ^ful- 

4  ler  on  earth  can  whiten  them.  And  there  appeared 
unto  them  Elijah  with  Moses :  and  they  were  talk- 

5  ing  with  Jesus.  And  Peter  answereth  and  saith 
to  Jesus,  Rabbi,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here:  and 
let  us  make  three  'tabernacles;  one  for  thee,  and 

6  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elijah.  For  he  ^wist 
not  what  to  answer;  for  they  became  sore  afraid. 

7  And  there  came  a  cloud  overshadowing  them :  and 
there  came  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  This  is  my 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  2,  "  after  six  days":  i.  e.,  six  days  after  the  conversa- 
tion narrated  in  831 — 91.  "Peter, and  James, and  John":  cf. 
Mark  537;  14.33.  "Into  a  high  mountain":  probably  Her- 
mon,  which  was  near  Cesarea  Philippi.  "Transfigured 
before  them":  changed  in  appearance.  Vs.  4,  "Elijah  with 
Moses  ....  talking  with  Jesus":  Luke  adds  that  they 
"spake  of  his  decease  [departure]  which  he  was  about  to 
accomplish  at  Jerusalem."  Vs.  5, "  Rabbi,  it  is  good  for  us  to 
be  here,"  etc.:  Peter  evidently  desires  to  prolong  the  enjoy- 
able experience,  and  for  this  reason  proposes  to  erect 
booths  in  which  Jesus  and  his  heavenly  visitors  can  lodge. 
117 


118     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

beloved  Son :  hear  ye  him.    And  suddenly  looking     8 
round  about,  they  saw  no  one  any  more,  save  Jesus 
only  with  themselves. 

And    as    they    were    coming    down    from    the     9 
mountain,  he  charged  them  that  they  should  tell 
no  man  what  things  they  had  seen,  save  when  the 
Son  of  man  should  have  risen  again  from  the  dead. 
And   they  kept    the    saying,   questioning  among  10 
themselves  what  the  rising  again  from  the  dead 
should  mean.     And  they  asked  him,  saying,  *The  11 
scribes  say  that  Elijah  must  first  come.     And  he  12 
said  unto  them,   Elijah  indeed  cometh  first,  and 
restore th  all  things:  and  how  is  it  written  of  the 
Son  of  man,  that  he  should  suffer  many  things 
and  be  set  at  nought  ?    But  I  say  unto  you,  that  13 
Elijah  is  come,  and  they  have  also  done  unto  him 
5  would         whatsoever  they  ^listed,  even  as  it  is  written  of 
him. 

Vs.  7,  "a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  This  is  my  beloved  Son: 
hear  ye  him  ":  If  the  disciples  had  found  it  difficult  to 
believe  what  Jesus  had  said  about  his  sufferings  and  death, 
and  if  this  had  even  shaken  somewhat  their  faith  that  he 
was  really  the  Messiah,  this  voice  was  calculated  to  lead 
them  to  believe  both  in  his  messiahship  and  the  things 
which  he  had  said  about  his  sufferings. 

Vs.  9,  "charged  them  that  they  should  tell  no  man,"  etc.: 
It  is  still  with  his  disciples  alone  that  Jesus  is  working; 
they  must  be  prepared  for  his  death ;  they  have  a  founda- 
tion of  faith  which  others  have  not  and  for  lack  of  which 
he  cannot  teach  others  of  his  death  and  suffering.  Vs.  11, 
"Elijah":  The  seeing  of  Elijah  on  the  mount  calls  up  to 


The  Transfiguration  119 

their  minds  the  prophecy  in  Mai.  45  about  Elijah  coming 
before  the  Messiah.  Jesus  tells  them  this  was  fulfilled  in 
John  the  Baptist,  and  also  reminds  them  that  the  Old  Testa- 
ment predicts  his  own  rejection  and  sufferings. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  From  what  previous  event  is  this  interval  of  six 
days  (vs.  2)  reckoned  ?  (2)*  In  what  region  was  this  high 
mountain?  See  8 2'^.  What  high  mountain  was  there 
in  this  region?  (3)*  What  wonderful  change  of  appear- 
ance did  Jesus  undergo  before  his  disciples?  Tell  the 
story  of  the  whole  event.  (4)  What  was  the  meaning  of 
Peter's  proposal  in  vs.  5?  (5)  What  difference  is  there 
between  the  voice  out  of  the  cloud  on  this  occasion  and 
the  voice  out  of  heaven  at  Jesus'  baptism  (1  n)?  What 
difference  in  the  persons  who  heard  it  ?  (6)*  What  do 
these  differences  (notice  them  carefully)  suggest  as  to 
the  person  for  whom,  and  the  purpose  for  which,  each 
was  intended?  (7)  If  Jesus'  prediction  of  his  own 
rejection  and  death  had  tended  in  any  measure  to  lead 
the  disciples  to  doubt  whether  Jesus  were  after  all  the 
Christ,  what  would  be  the  influence  of  this  transfigura- 
tion experience  on  that  doubt?  (8)*  Till  what  time  did 
Jesus  command  his  disciples  not  to  tell  about  this 
remarkable  event  ?  Can  you  see  any  reason  why  it  was 
not  wise  to  tell  it  sooner?  (9)  Had  Jesus  before  this 
spoken  of  his  own  resuiTection?  Did  his  disciples  yet 
understand  what  he  meant  by  it  ?  (10)  What  apparently 
led  the  disciples  to  ask  about  Elijah  at  just  this  time 
(see  vs.  5)?  (11)  Does  Jesus  mean  in  vs.  12  that  Elijah 
would  himself  come  or  that  a  prophet  like  Elijah  would 
appear?  Who  was  the  Elijah  who  had  come  (vs.  13)? 
See  Luke  1 1'?  and  Matt.  17 13. 


SECTION  XXXV 
THE  DEMONIAC  BOY  HEALED,  9:14-29 

And  when  they  came  to  the  disciples,  they  saw  14 
a  great  multitude  about  them,  and  scribes  ques- 
tioning with  them.     And  straightway  all  the  mul-  15 
titude,  when  they  saw  him,  were  greatly  amazed, 
and  running  to  him  saluted  him.     And  he  asked  16 
them.  What  question  ye  with  them?     And  one  of  17 

1  Teacher      the  multltudc  auswercd  him,  ^Master,  I  brought 

unto  thee  my  son,  which  hath  a  dumb  spirit;  and  18 

"^him^^^^^'^  wheresoever  it  taketh  him,  it  ^dasheth  him  down: 
and  he  foameth,  "and  grindeth  his  teeth,  and 
pineth  away:  and  I  spake  to  thy  disciples  that 
they  should  cast  it  out;  and  they  were  not  able. 
And  he  answereth  them  and  saith,  O  faithless  19 
generation,  how  long  shall  I  be  with  you?  how 
long  shall  I  bear  with  you?  bring  him  unto 
me.      And   they    brought    him    unto    him :    and  20 

3  Or,  conrw/sed  when  he  saw  him,  straightway  the  spirit  Hare 
him  grievously;  and  he  fell  on  the  ground,  and 
wallowed  foaming.    And  he  asked  his  father.  How  21 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  17,  "a  dumb  spirit":  i.  e.,  one  that  made  the  boy- 
dumb.  Matthew  describes  the  boy  as  epileptic  (17 15),  and 
with  this  agree  the  symptoms  as  described  by  Mark.  Vs. 
19,  "O  faithless  generation":  addressed  to  the  disciples, 
reproving  them  for  their  lack  of  faith,  which,  if  they  had 
possessed  it,  would  have  enabled  them  to  cure  the  boy ;  cf. 
Matt.  1719,20.  Vs.  23,  "if  thou  canst":  the  words  of  the 
120 


The  Demoniac  Boy  Healed         121 

long  time  is  it  since  this  hath  come  unto  him? 

22  And  he  said,  From  a  child.  And  oft-times  it  hath 
cast  him  both  into  the  fire  and  into  the  waters,  to 
destroy  him:  but  if  thou  canst  do  anything,  have 

23  compassion  on  us,  and  help  us.  And  Jesus  said 
unto  him,  If  thou  canst!    All  things  are  possible 

24  to  him  that  believeth.  Straightway  the  father  of 
the  child  cried  out,  and  said,  I  believe ;  help  thou 

25  mine  unbelief.  And  when  Jesus  saw  that  a  mul- 
titude came  running  together,  he  rebuked  the 
unclean  spirit,  saying  unto  him,  Thou  dumb  and 
deaf  spirit,  I  command  thee,  come  out  of  him,  and 

23  enter  no  more  into  him.     And  having  cried  out, 

and  ^torn  him  much,  he  came  out:  and  the  child  ^cJnvuised 
became  as  one  dead;  insomuch  that  the  more  part 

27  said,   He  is  dead.     But  Jesus  took  him   by  the 

28  hand,  and  raised  him  up;  and  he  arose.  And 
when  he  was  come  into  the  house,  his  disciples 

asked  him  privately,  ^saying,  We  could  not  cast  it  ''^J;;>^7 '" '* 

29  out.     And  he  said  unto  them,  this  kind  can  come    cafuPout? 
out  by  nothing,  save  by  prayer. 

man,  reprovingly  repeated  by  Jesus,  showing  that  the  diffi- 
culty is  not  in  his  own  ability,  but  in  the  man's  faith.  Vs. 
29,  "this  kind  can  come  out  by  nothing  save  by  prayer": 
The  more  difficult  the  task,  the  more  necessary  is  prayer, 
by  which  we  enter  into  fellowship  with  God  and  acquire 
his  power. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Having  read  the  narrative  carefully,  tell  the 
story  of  the  epileptic  boy  (vss.  14^29).     (2)  For  what 


122     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

does  Jesus  reprove  the  disciples  in  vs.  191  (3)  For  what 
does  he  reprove  the  father  of  the  boy  in  vs.  23?  (4) 
How  far  does  the  father  show  a  right  spirit  in  the  whole 
transaction?  (5)  What  does  vs.  19  suggest  as  the  reason 
why  the  disciples  could  not  cast  out  the  demon?  What 
does  vs.  29  suggest  as  the  reason?  What  is  the  relation 
of  the  two  causes  thus  suggested? 


SECTION  XXXVT 

JESUS  AGAIN  FORETELLS  HIS  DEATH  AND 
RESURRECTION,  9:30-32 

30  And  they  went  forth  from  thence,  and  passed 
through  Galilee;  and  he  would  not  that  any  man 

31  should  know  it.  For  he  taught  his  disciples,  and 
said  unto  them.  The  Son  of  man  is  delivered  up 
into  the  hands  of  men,  and  they  shall  kill  him; 
and  when  he  is  killed,  after  three  days  he  shall 

32  rise  again.  But  they  understood  not  the  saying, 
and  were  afraid  to  ask  him. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  30,  "  passed  through  Galilee  ":  made  a  journey  from 
the  mountain  of  transfiguration  to  some  point  in  Galilee, 
probably  Capernaum  (vs.  33).  "  Would  not  that  any  man 
should  know  it":  His  aim  is  still  to  be  with  his  disciples 
and  to  teach  them.  Vs.  31,  "  the  Son  of  man  |  is  delivered 
up":  i.  e.,  is  to  be  delivered  up  as  a  prisoner.  With  this 
whole  section  compare  8  30,  31. 


QUESTIONS 

(1)  From  what  place  does  "  from  thence  "  in  vs.  30 
mean?  Compare  8  27;  9  2, 9,  u  (2)  Is  this  a  preaching 
tour  or  a  teaching  tour?  That  is,  is  it  for  preaching  to 
the  multitude  or  for  teaching  his  disciples  ?  (3)*  What 
was  the  subject  of  his  teaching?  (4)*  When  had  Jesus 
first  spoken  distinctly  to  his  disciples  on  this  subject  ? 
(5)  Why  were  the  disciples  unable  to  understand  him? 
123 


SECTION  XXXVII 

THE  AMBITION  AND  JEALOUSY  OF  THE 
DISCIPLES  REPROVED,  9:33-50 

And  they  came  to  Capernaum:  and  when  he  33 
was  in  the  house  he  asked  them,  What  were  ye 
'sXf""'*     reasoning    in    the    way?     But    they  ^held    their  34 
peace:  for  they  had  disputed  one  with  another  in 
the    way,    who    was    the    greatest.     And   he    sat  35 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  34,  "who  was  the  greatest":  i.  e.,  who  should  have 
the  highest  place  in  the  kingdom  which  they  believed 
Jesus  would  establish.  Vs.  35,  "if  any  man  would  be 
first":  If  one  desires  to  be  really  first,  he  can  attain  this 
only  by  becoming  servant  of  all.  Compare  with  this  the 
closely  similar  teaching  in  8  34,  a5.  Vss.  36,  37:  Three  things 
must  be  remembered  in  order  to  see  the  meaning  of  Jesus 
in  these  verses:  (a)  He  is  reproving  his  disciples  for  their 
ambitious  strife  (vss.  33,  34).  (6)  The  characteristic  of  a 
child  is  simplicity  and  absence  of  pride  and  ambition,  (c) 
"  Name  "  in  the  Bible  stands  for  the  character.  Thus  the 
thought  of  Jesus  is:  Whosoever  shall  receive,  i.  e.,  welcome 
in  a  friendly  spirit,  a  little  child  because  he  sees  in  the 
child  the  character,  simplicity,  and  sincerity  of  Jesus,  is 
in  effect  receiving  Jesus;  and  he  who  receives  Jesus 
receives  God,  since  the  character  of  Jesus  is  the  character 
of  God.  It  follows  that  if  the  disciples  really  wish  to  draw 
men  to  Jesus,  and  to  God,  they  must  first  of  all  put  away_ 
their  selfish  ambitions  and  seek  to  be  like  Jesus  in  the — - 
simplicity  and  absence  of  ambition  that  was  characteristic 
of  him.  The  teaching  is  very  important  for  us,  and  in  two 
ways:  If  we  love  people  that  are  like  Jesus,  we  are  really 
124  « 


Jealousy  of  Disciples  Reproved    125 

down,   and  called  the  twelve;  and  he  saith  unto 
them,  If  any  man  would  be  first,  he  shall  be  last 

36  of  all,  and  ^minister  of  all.  And  he  took  a  little 
child,  and  set   him   in  the  midst  of  them:    and 

37  taking  him  in  his  arms,  he  said  unto  them,  Who- 
soever shall  receive  one  of  such  little  children  in 
my  name,  receiveth  me:  and  whosoever  receiveth 
me,  receiveth  not  me,  but  him  that  sent  me. 

38  John    said   unto    him,    ^Master,    we    saw    one 


loving  him,  and  loving  him  we  are  loving  God;  and  if  we 
would  draw  men  to  Jesus,  we  must  be  like  him. 

Vs.  38,  "casting  out  demons  in  thy  name":  claiming 
the  authority  of  Jesus,  and  no  doubt  using  the  name  of 
Jesus  in  commanding  the  demon  to  go  out.  Cf.  Acts  1913. 
We  know  nothing  of  this  man  beyond  what  these  verses 
tell  us  of  him.  Vs.  39,  "forbid  him  not:  for,"  etc.:  Jesus 
argues  simply  from  what  the  disciples  told  him;  though 
this  man  did  not  keep  company  with  Jesus,  yet  that  he 
used  Jesus'  name  and  actually  cast  out  demons  showed 
that,  so  far  from  being  opposed  to  him,  or  simply  trading 
on  Jesus  name,  he  was  in  sympathy  with  Jesus'  work,  and 
had  at  least  some  measure  of  faith  in  him.  Such  a  man, 
Jesus  says,  will  not  easily  turn  against  him.  Vs.  40,  "for 
he  that  is  not  against  us  is  for  us":  a  principle,  which  as 
the  connection  in  which  Jesus  used  it  shows,  is  to  be 
applied  in  the  judgment  of  others,  and  from  its  very  nature 
applicable  only  thus,  and  not  in  excusing  ourselves  for  our 
inactivity.  Cf.  Matt.  1230.  One  cannot  be  neutral  in 
respect  to  Jesus;  each  one's  life  must  hinder  or  help  his 
work  and  kingdom.  In  judging  of  others,  whose  hearts 
we  cannot  know,  and  who,  like  the  man  of  whom  John 
spoke,  are  doing  good  work,  we  should  reason  from  this 
good  work  that  they  are  on  Christ's  side,  are  helping  on 


126     The  Gtospel  according  to  Mark 

casting  out  *  devils  in  thy  name:   and  we  forbade 
him,  because  he  followed  not  us.     But  Jesus  said,  39 
Forbid  him  not:  for  there  is  no  man  which  shall 
do  a  mighty  work  in  my  name,  and  be  able  quickly 
to  speak  evil  of  me.     For  he  that  is  not  against  40 
us  is  for  us.     For  whosoever  shall  give  you  a  cup  41 
of  water  to  drink,  because  ye  are  Christ's,  verily  I 
say  unto  you,  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward. 
And  whosoever  shall  cause  one  of,  these  little  ones  42 


his  work,  even  though  their  acknowledgment  of  him  does 
not  take  the  form  which  we  most  approve.  It  is  a  very 
important  lesson  which  Jesus  here  teaches,  and  one  that 
has  often  been  forgotten  by  those  who  have  borne  his 
name.  Vs.  41.  "for  whosoever  shall  give  you  a  cup  of 
water  to  drink,  because  ye  are  Christ's":  whoever  even  in 
a  very  slight  act,  is  influenced  by  a  desire  to  serve  Christ. 
In  such  a  case,  as  in  that  of  the  man  spoken  of  above,  the 
two  things  that  show  real,  even  though  imperfect,  disciple- 
ship  are  recognition  of  Jesus  and  kindly,  helpful  action 
springing  from  such  recognition.  "He  shall  in  no  wise 
lose  his  reward":  God  will  recognize  the  motive  of  the 
act,  and  treat  it  accordingly.  Vs.  42,  "  one  of  these  little 
ones  that  believe  ":  not  necessarily  a  child  in  years,  but,  as 
the  words  "  that  believe  "  show,  in  faith — one  who,  whether 
young  or  old,  has,  like  the  man  of  whom  John  had  spoken, 
only  an  imperfect,  immature  faith.  "Cause  ....  to 
stumble":  put  obstacles  in  his  way,  making  it  harder  for 
him  to  follow  the  right  path.  In  vss.  43-48  Jesus,  having 
previously  spoken  of  hindering  others,  causing  them  to 
stumble,  turns  to  speak  of  things  by  which  we  cause  our- 
selves to  stumble,  to  fall  into  sin.  "If  thy  hand  cause  thee 
to  stumble,  cut  it  off":  a  strong  expression,  indicating  the 
necessity  of  sacrificing  even  the  dearest  things  if  they  lead 


Jealousy  of  Disciples  Keproved    127 


that  believe  on  me  to  stumble,  it  were  better  for 
him  if  a  great  millstone  were  hanged  about  his 

43  neck,  and  he  were  cast  into  the  sea.  And  if  thy 
hand  cause  thee  to  stumble,  cut  it  off:  it  is  good 
for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed,  rather  than 
having  thy  two  hands  to  go  into  ^hell,  into  the 

45  unquenchable  fire.^  And  if  thy  foot  cause  thee  to 
stumble,  cut  it  off:  it  is  good  for  thee  to  enter 
into  life  halt,  rather  than  having  thy  two  feet  to 


6  Vss.  44  and  4fi 
(which  are 
identical  with 
vs  48^  are 
omitted  by  the 
best  ancient 
manuscripts 


US  into  sin.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  Jesus  meant  that 
we  should  actually  cut  off  a  hand  or  a  foot  (vs.  45),  or  pluck 
out  an  eye  (vs.  47).  Sin  comes  from  the  heart  ( 720  23 ),  and 
mutilating  the  body  would  not  prevent  it.  But  he  did 
mean  that  we  should,  if  necessary,  sacrifice  things  as  dear  to 
us  as  hand  or  foot  or  eye,  rather  than  go  on  sinning.  Vs. 
33,"t6  enter  into  lifef  maimed  f  rather  than  ....  to  go 
into  hellf':  The  contrast  of  "life"  and  "hell"  indicates 
that  Jesus  has  especially  in  mind  the  blessed  future  life  of 
the  righteous,  and  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  after 
death.  He  implies  that  by  falling  into  sin  we  may  incur 
the  punishment  of  hell.  Cf.  329.  "Into  the  unquenchable 
fire":  fire  that  is  never  put  out.  Carrying  on  the  illustra- 
tion, which  is  involved  in  the  word  "hel^"t  Jesus  uses 
unquenchable  fire  as  a  symbol  of  that  utter  ruin  which 
comes  to  the  soul  that  falls  hopelessly  into  sin.  His  lan- 
guage, being  thus  figurative,  should  hardly  be  pressed  to 
mean  that  we  either  enter  the  future  life  of  blessedness  or 
endure  the  punishment  of  sin  after  death  in  our  bodies, 
either  maimed  and  halt,  or  having  two  hands  and  two  feet. 
He  is  rather  saying  in  vivid  language  that  it  is  better  to 
lose  hands  or  feet  or  eyes  and  enter  into  life  than  to  save 
them  and  be  cast  into  hell.  The  warnings  of  Jesus  against 
sin  are  very  solemn;  to  him  nothing  was  so  dreadful  as  sin. 


128     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

be  cast  into  ^hell.     And  if  thine  eye  cause  thee  to    4.1 
stumble,  cast  it  out:  it  is  ^ood  for  thee  to  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God  with  one  eye,  rather  than 
having  two  eyes  to  be  cast  into  ^hell;  where  their    48 
worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.     For    49 
every  one  shall  be  salted  with  fire.     Salt  is  good:    50 
but  if  the  salt  have  lost  its  saltness,  wherewith  will 
ye  season  it?     Have  salt  in  yourselves,  and  be  at 
peace  one  with  another. 

Vs.  47,"^' into  the  kingdom  of  God":  Here,  too,  as  in  the 
expression  "  enter  into  life,"  Jesus  doubtless  has  specially 
in  mind  the  future  life.  Cf.  note  on  vs.  43.  But  it  should 
be  remembered  that  the  kingdom  of  God  begins  now,  and  \ 
they  who  are  in  it  hereafter  are  those  who  enter  it  now.  ^ 
And  the  same  is  true  of  life.-f-  Vs.  48,  "  where  their  worm 
dieth  not":  another  figure  taken  from  or  suggested  by  the 
valley  of  Hinnomf;  worms  that  consume  dead  bodies  repre- 
sent the  dreadful  suffering  of  those  who,  rather  than  give 
up  something  that  is  dear  to  them,  go  on  in  sin.  Vss.  49, 
50  are  difficult  to  understand.  But  we  may  get  some  light 
on  them  by  remembering  that  salt  is  that  by  which  things 
are  kept  from  decay,  and  that  fire  is  a  means  of  testing, 
that  either  purifies  or  destroys.  This  suggests  as  the 
general  thought  that  none  of  us  can  escape  discipline, 
trial  (such  as  is  suggested  in  vss.  43-48).  If  we  accept  it 
in  the  right  spirit,  it  becomes  a  purifying  fire.  But  we 
shall  have  to  endure  it  anyhow;  if  not  as  purifying,  then  as 
punishing.  The  salt  that  has  lost  its  saltness  is  either 
discipline  that  is  ineffective,  because  we  do  not  accept  it, 
or  people  who  have  ceased  to  be  morally  helpful  in  the 
world.  The  words  "have  salt  in  yourselves"  seem  to 
refer  to  the  spirit  of  love,  which  is  the  preserver  of  true 
social  life,  and  which  brings  "peace"  and  harmony. 


Jealousy  of  Disciples  Reproved  129 


QUESTIONS 

(1)*  When  they  reached  Capernaum,  what  question 
did  Jesus  ask  his  disciples  ?  (2)  Was  the  subject  of 
their  conversation  the  personal  superiority  of  the  dis- 
ciples one  to  another,  or  their  rank  in  the  kingdom,  which 
they  expected  Jesus  to  found?  (3)  What  does  the  fact 
of  this  dispute  show  as  to  the  ideas  which  they  still  held 
concerning  the  nature  of  the  kingdom  and  of  Jesus' 
future?  Cf.  vs.  32.  Recall  also  8  31-33.  (4)*  What 
principles  of  leadership  and  rank  did  Jesus  teach  them 
(vs.  35)?  State  this  principle  in  your  own  words. 
(5)  What  further  lesson  did  he  teach  them  by  the  use 
of  a  little  child?  (Study  vs.  37  carefully,  and  state  as 
clearly  as  you  can  the  thought  of  Jesus.)  (6)  What 
important  applications  had  this  teaching  to  the  dis- 
ciples, and  what  has  it  to  us  ? 

(7)  Relate  in  your  own  words  the  incident  of  the 
man  who  was  casting  out  demons  in  Jesus'  name  (vs. 
38).  (8)  What  great  principle  does  Jegus  teach  his 
disciples  in  his  answer  to  John  (vs.  39)?  By  what  are 
we  to  judge  others — by  the  organization  to  which  they 
belong,  or  by  the  work  they  are  doing  and  the  spirit 
they  show?  Cf.  Matt.  7  16-I8.  (9)  Was  vs.  40  spoken 
with  reference  to  one  who  was  doing  nothing,  or  one 
who  was  actively  doing  good?  (10)  Does  it  mean  that 
not  to  be  actively  working  against  Jesus  puts  one  on 
his  side?  (11)  What  does,  it  mean?  (12)  Did  Jesus 
give  it  as  a  rule  by  which  the  disciples  could  judge 
themselves,  or  as  one  by  which  to  judge  others? 
(13)  What  is  the  other  half  of  the  truth  (Matt. 
12  30)?  (14)*  Put  the  teaching  of  vs.  41  into  words  of 
your  own.  (15)  Whom  does  Jesus  mean  by  "one  of 
these     little     ones    that    believe  .  on    me"  (vs.   42)? 


130    The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

(16)  What  does  "cause  to  stumble"  mean?  (17)  State 
the  teaching  of  this  verse.  (18)  To  what  new  phase  of 
the  subject  of  "stumbling"  does  Jesus  pass  in  vs. 
43?  (19)  What  do  the  words  "  stumble,"  f  "life,"t 
"  maimed,"  t  "hell,"t  "halt"t  mean?  (20)  State  the 
teachings  of  vss.  43-48  in  your  own  words,  and  give 
examples  showing  how  they  apply.  (21)  How  does 
Jesus  always  treat  of  sin?  (22)  What  does  the  last 
sentence  of  vs.  50  mean?  (23)  State  several  teachings 
of  this  passage  that  you  think  will  be  useful  to  your- 
self. 

♦REVIEW  QUESTIONS 

(1)  In  what  portion  of  Palestine  is  Jesus  said  to 
have  begun  his  work  after  the  imprisonment  of  John 
the  Baptist?  (2)  In  what  region  was  he  working,  as 
recorded  in  chap.  9?  (3)  How  much  of  the  intervening 
record  refers  to  work  in  this  same  region?  (4)  Name 
the  events  which  are  recorded  previous  to  his  first  con- 
flict with  the  Pharisees  (1  ^^-^^y  (5)  Name  the  events 
of  2  1 — 3  6.  What  is  the  common  characteristic  of  all 
these  events  ?  (6)  Name  the  events  of  the  remainder  of 
the  third  chapter.  Which  is  the  most  important  of 
these  events?  (7)  What  does  41-34  contain?  (8)  Name 
the  four  events  that  next  succeed  the  chapter  of  para- 
bles. (9)  What  is  the  subject  of  6  ^-29?  (lO)  Name  the 
events  of  6  ^o — 7  23^  beginning  with  the  feeding  of  the 
five  thousand.  (11)  In  7  2^ — 8  26  there  is  a  record  of  a 
journey  which  extended  partly  outside  of  Jewish  lands; 
name  the  events  of  this  journey.  (12)  In  8  2" — 9  so  is  the 
record  of  another  northern  journey;  name  the  events  of 
this  journey.  (13)  Which  of  these  events  seem  to  you 
of  peculiar  importance  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus  ?  (14)  In 
what  chapter  is  the  story  of  the  call  of  the  four  fisher- 


Jealousy  of  Disciples  Repkoved  131 

men?  (15)  What  passage  contains  the  series  of  events 
in  which  Jesus  comes  into  conflict  with  the  Pharisees  ? 
(16)  What  chapter  contains  the  record  of  the  choosing 
of  the  Twelve?  the  sending  out  of  the  Twelve?  (17) 
What  chapter  consists  mainly  of  parables?  (18)  In 
what  chapter  is  the  story  of  Jairus's  daughter?  What 
other  story  is  imbedded  in  this  one?  (19)  In  what 
chapter  is  the  story  of  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand? 
(20)  In  what  chapter  is  the  discourse  on  eating  with 
unwashen  hands?  (21)  In  what  chapter  is  the  record 
of  the  journey  to  Tyre?  (22)  In  what  chapter  is  the 
story  of  the  transfiguration?  (23)  Name  and  locate 
all  the  cities  spoken  of  in  chaps.  1-9.  (24)  Which  of 
these  are  in  Galilee?  In  what  territory  are  the 
others?  (25)  Who  are  the  first  four  recorded  disciples 
of  Jesus?  Tell  the  story  of  their  call.  (26)  Did  Jesus 
at  this  time  ask  them  for  an  acknowledgment  of  his 
messiahship  ?  (27)  Had  they  made  any  such  acknowl- 
edgment when  Jesus  chose  the  Twelve?  (28)  What 
was  the  basis  of  Jesus'  fellowship  with  his  first  disci- 
ples, an  intellectual  assent  to  his  messiahship,  or  moral 
sympathy  and  friendship?  (29)  State  the  circumstances 
under  which  Jesus  at  length  called  forth  an  explicit 
acknowledgment  of  his  messiahship.  (30)  Why  were 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees  opposed  by  Jesus?  (31) 
Why  was  Jesus  displeased  with  them  ?  (32)  What  was 
Jesus'  attitude  toward  the  publicans?  (33)  In  what 
kinds  of  work  has  Jesus  been  engaged  while  in  Galilee 
and  adjacent  regions  ?  (31)  What  has  he  accomplished 
by  his  work  there  as  recorded  by  Mark? 


SECTION  XXXVIil 
DEPARTURE  FROM  GALILEE  INTO  PEREA,  10:1 
And  he  arose  from  thence,  and  cometh  into  the  1 

1  territory     ^ borders  of  Jud{©a  and  beyond  Jordan:  and  mul- 

titudes come  together  unto  him  again;  and,  as  he 

2  accustomed  was  ^wout,  hc  taught  them  again. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "arose  from  thence":  i.e.,  he  departed  from 
Capernaum  (see  9  33),  and,  as  the  rest  of  the  verse  shows, 
from  Galilee.  Nor  do  we  again  read  in  this  gospel  of  his 
returning  to  Galilee.  The  ministry  in  Galilee,  the  begin- 
ning of  which  is  recorded  in  1  14,  is  now  at  an  end.  "  Cometh 
into  the  borders  of  Judea  and  beyond  Jordan":  i.e.,  into 
Judeal  and  Perea,t  the  southern  sections  of  Palestine, 
the  one  on  the  west  and  the  other  on  the  east  of  Jordan. 
This  chap.  10  relates  events  that  happened  before  he 
reached  Jerusalem.  This  period  is  often  called  the  Perean 
ministry.  "As  he  was  wont,  he  taught  them  again": 
During  the  latter  part  of  the  ministry  in  Galilee  Jesus  had 
devoted  himself  to  the  disciples  and  rather  avoided  the 
multitudes.  On  coming  into  Perea,  however,  he  again 
takes  up  the  work  of  teaching  the  multitude. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  Into  what  region  did  Jesus  go  on  leaving 
Capernaum?  (2)  Of  what  period  of  his  ministry  does 
this  verse  mark  the  end?  (3)  *  With  what  kind  of  work 
does  the  new  period  begin  ?  (4)  Is  this  an  altogether 
new  form  of  work  for  Jesus?  If  not,  when  had  he 
been  engaged  in  it  before  ?  (5)  Why  had  he  interrupted  it  I 
132 


SECTION  XXXIX 
CONCERNING  DIVORCE,  10 : 2-12 

2  And  there  came  unto  him  Pharisees,  and  asked 
him.  Is  it  lawful  for  a  man  to  put  away  his  wife  ? 

3  tempting  him.      And  he  answered  and  said  unto 

4  them,  What  did  Moses  command  you  ?    And  they 

said,  Moses  ^  suffered  to  write  a  bill  of  divorce-  i  permitted 

5  ment,  and  to  put  her  away.     But  Jesus  said  unto 
them,  For  your  hardness  of  heart  he  wrote  you 

6  this  commandment.     But  from  the  beginning  of 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  2,  "is  it  lawful ":  better,  is  it  right?  There  was  no 
question  about  its  being  legal.  The  husband  was  per- 
mitted to  do  so  by  law;  no  action  of  court  was  required  as 
with  us.  Vs.  5,  "but  Jesus  said,"  etc.:  Jesus  does  not 
deny  that  the  law  gave  such  permission,  but  he  says  that 
the  law  permitted  it  only  because  men's  hearts  were  hard; 
they  were  not  yet  able  to  see  and  appreciate  the  better  and 
right  way.  But  because  the  law  permits  it,  that  does  not 
make  it  the  right  thing  to  do.  Vs.  6,  "from  the  beginning 
of  the  creation,  male  and  female  made  he  them  ":  Marriage 
is  not  an  invention  of  man,  but  something  that  is  made 
natural  and  right  by  the  very  constitution  of  man  (men  and 
women),  as  God  himself  created  them  from  the  beginning; 
and  the  marriage  which  is  thus  made  right  is  a  lifelong 
union  of  a  man  and  a  woman,  not  an  arrangement  which, 
like  a  business  contract,  can  be  canceled  at  will.  Vs.  9, 
"  what  therefore  God  hath  joined  together,  let  not  man  put 
asunder":  Though  a  man  and  a  woman  marry  one  another 
of  their  own  free  choice,  and  under  no  compulsion,  yet 
133 


134    The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

the  creation,  Male  and  female  made  he  them.    For     7 
this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother, 
2«wo  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife;  and  the  Hwain  shall     8 

become  one  flesh:  so  that  they  are  no  moreHwain, 
but  one  flesh.     What  therefore  God  hath  joined     9 
together,  let  not  man  put  asunder.     And  in  the   10 
house  the  disciples  asked  him  again  of  this  matter. 
And  he  saith  unto  them.   Whosoever  shall  put  11 
away   his    wife,  and    marry  another,   committeth 
adultery  against  her:  and  if  she  herself  shajl  put  12 
away  her  husband,  and  marry  another,  she  com- 
mitteth adultery. 

since  the  law  of  marriage  as  written  in  the  constitution  of 
man  is  a  lifelong  union,  they  who  marry  are  under  the 
sanction  of  God's  law,  and  are  in  that  sense  joined  together 
by  God.  "Let  not  man  put  asunder":  Jesus  means  espe- 
cially, let  no  husband  put  away  his  wife,  since  it  was  thus 
that  marriages  were  usually  broken  among  the  Jews.  But 
the  principle  makes  every  divorce  wrong:  either  itself  a  vio- 
lation of  God's  law,  or  made  necessary  by  the  fact  that  either 
husband  or  wife  has  already  grievously  broken  that  law: 
What  Jesus  is  saying  is  that  there  ought  not  be  any 
divorces.  Vs.  11,  "commits  adultery  against  her":  He  is 
still  before  God  the  husband  of  the  woman  whom  he  first 
married;  his  living  with  another  is  therefore  itself  grievous 
sin.    Vs.  12:  And  the  same  principle  applies  to  the  wife. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Relate  the  conversation  between  Jesus  and  the 
Pharisees  concerning  divorce.  (2)  What  does  Jesus 
teach  concerning  the  lasting  character  of  a  marriage? 
(3)*  On  what  does  he  base  his  teaching?    (4)  If  Jesus' 


Concerning  Divorce  135 

teaching  were  followed,  would  there  ever  be  any  divorce 
at  all  ?  (5)  In  view  of  this  teaching,  ought  a  marriage, 
or  a  promise  to  marry,  be  hastily  made,  or  carefully, 
conscientiously,  prayerfully  ?  (6)  In  view  of  this  teach- 
ing, how  should  a  marriage  once  made  be  regarded; 
and  how 'should  one  look  upon  all  those  things,  even 
the  seemingly  petty  things,  such  as  impatience,  ex- 
travagance, etc.,  which  tend  to  alienate  husband  and 
wife?  (7)  What  does  the  fact  that  Jesus  here  sets 
aside  a  law  of  Moses  show  as  to  his  authority  as  com- 
pared with  that  of  Moses?  (8)*  On  what  previous 
occasions  and  on  what  subject  has  Jesus  given  teaching 
which  differed  from  that  of  the  Old  Testament  law? 
(9)*  In  case  of  difference  of  teaching,  which  should  we 
follow,  the  old  Testament  or  Jesus  ? 


SECTION  XL 
BLESSING  LITTLE  CHILDREN,  10 :  13-16 
And   they  broiight   unto  him    little   children,   13 
that  he  should    touch   them:    and   the   disciples 
rebuked  them.     But  when  Jesus  saw  it,  he  was  14 
moved    with    indignation,    and    said   unto   them. 
Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me ;  forbid 
them  not :    for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  not  re-   15 
ceive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little   child,  he 
shall  in  no  wise  enter  therein.     And  he  took  them   16 
in  his  arms,  and  blessed  them,  laying  his  hands 
upon  them. 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  13,  "little  children":  simply,  "children  ;"  the  word 
includes  children  up  to  twelve  years  old  (5  39,  42),  or  perhaps 
older.  Vs.  14,  "for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God":  to  such 
it  belongs.  Notice  the  word  "  such  ;"  not  to  children  only, 
but  to  the  childlike.  The  quality  of  childlikeness,  teach- 
ableness and  trustfulness,  whether  it  is  found  in  a  child  or 
an  adult,  is  necessary  in  order  to  obtain  the  blessing  of  the 
kingdom.  -Vs.  15,  "  whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  king- 
dom of  God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  in  no  wise  enter 
therein":  The  kingdom  of  God  is  something  that  can  be 
received  and  also  entered.  To  receive  it  is  to  welcome  it, 
in  effect  to  consent  that  God  shall  reign  over  us;  this  we 
ought  to  do  with  teachableness  and  humbleness,  as  a  little 
child  accepts  the  rule  of  his  parents.  To  enter  the  king- 
dom is  to  have  part  in  it  as  members  and  subjects  of  it, 
and  so  to  share  in  its  blessiiigs. 
•-^  ~  '  136 


Blessing  Little  Children 


137 


QUESTIONS 

(1)  Tell  the  story  of  Jesus  and  the  children  (vs.  13- 
16).  (2)*  What  element  of  Jesus'  character  is  illus- 
trated in  this  incident  ?  Cf.  Matt.  1 1 29.  (3)  Does  vs.  14 
mean  that  the  kingdom  of  God  belongs  to  those  who 
are  young  in  years,  or  to  those  who  have  the  teachable, 
trustful  spirit  of  children?   (4)*  What  does  vs.  15  mean? 


" JESUS,  THE  FRIEND  OF  CHILDREN" 


SECTION  XLI 

THE  RICH  YOUNG  MAN,  WHO  HAD  KEPT 
THE  COMMANDMENTS,  10 :  17-31 

And  as  he  was  going  forth  4nto  the  way,  there  17 
ran  one  to  him,  and  kneeled  to  him,  and  asked 
him,  Good  ^Master,  what  shall  I  do  that  I  may 
inherit  eternal  life?     And  Jesus  said  unto  him,   18 
Why  callest  thou  me  good  ?  none  is  good  save  one, 
even  God.     Thou  knowest  the  commandments.  Do  19 
not  kill.  Do  not  commit  adultery.  Do  not  steal.  Do 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  17,  "what  shall  I  do  that  I  may  inherit  eternal 
life":  This  young  man  had  learned  that  there  is  eternal 
life  (see  Dan.  122,)  and  he  desired  to  find  out  how  to  get  it. 
Vs.  18,  "why  callest  thou  me  good?  There  is  none  good 
save  one,  even  God":  Probably  Jesus  saw  that  the  young 
man  applied  the  term  "  good  "  to  him  only  as  a  compliment, 
and  without  serious  thought  of  its  meaning.  He  does  not 
mean  that  he  is  himself  sinful,  but  desires  to  turn  the 
thought  of  the  young  man  to  God,  who  is  the  source  of  all 
goodness  and  the  pattern  of  all  goodness.  Had  the  young 
man  really  discerned  in  Jesus  the  expression  of  God's 
goodness,  he  would  doubtless  have  answered  him  differ- 
ently. Vs.  19,  "thou  knowest  the  commandments": 
It  is  the  good  that  gain  eternal  life  (Matt.  25  46).  The  com- 
mandments were  the  rule  of  goodness,  right  conduct,  under 
which  the  young  man  had  been  brought  up,  and  so  Jesus 
tests  him  by  them.  Vs.  21,  "and  Jesus  looking  upon  him 
loved  him":  Evidently  the  young  man  had  really  done  well, 
although,  of  course,  his  life  had  not  been  without  sin. 
"One  thing  thou  lackest":  This  was  love.  He  had  kept 
138 


The  Rich  Young  Man  139 

not  bear  false  witness,  Do  not  defraud,  Honour 

20  thy  father  and  mother.  And  he  said  unto  him, 
^Master,  all  these  things  have  I  observed  from  my 

21  youth.  And  Jesus  looking  upon  him  loved  him, 
and  said  unto  him,  One  thing  thou  lackest:  go, 
sell  whatsoever  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor, 
and  thou  shalt  have  treasure,  in  heaven :  and  come, 

22  follow  me.  But  his  countenance  fell  at  the  say- 
ing, and  he  went  away  sorrowful:  for  he  was  one 
that  had  great  possessions. 

23  And  Jesus  looked  round  about,  and  saith  unto 


the  individual  commandments,  but  he  had  not  yielded  his 
heart  to  the  one  great  commandment  that  is  underneath 
them  all.  (C/.  Jesus'  words  in  1228-31.)  It  was  one  great 
defect  of  the  teaching  of  the  scribes  that  it  tended  to  lead 
men  to  think  only  of  keeping  single  commandments  and  to 
expect  reward  for  each  act  of  such  obedience,  instead  of 
bringing  their  whole  lives  into  subjection  to  a  right  prin- 
ciple, and  so  coming  spontaneously  to  do  the  right  thing 
always.  Till  we  learn  to  do  this  we  are  still  only  children 
keeping  rules. 

Vss.  23-31  dwell  upon  the  thought,  naturally  sug- 
gested by  the  case  of  this  young  man,  that  the  possession 
of  wealth  is  a  hindrance  to  entering  the  kingdom  of  God. 
On  the  meaning  of  this  expression  "enter  into  the  king- 
dom" cf.  notes  on  vs.  15.  Vs.  24,  "the  disciples  were 
amazed":  The  Jewish  rabbis  by  their  teaching  that  only 
those  who  devoted  themselves  to  the  study  and  practice  of 
all  the  numerous  commandments  into  which  they  divided 
the  law  (the  rabbis  counted  613  commands  in  the  law),  and 
the  traditions  which  they  had  attached  to  it,  were  pleas- 
ing to  God,  had  practically  taught  that  a  poor  man  who 


140   The  Gospel  aocokding  to  Mark 

his    disciples,   How  hardly  shall  they  that  have 
riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God!    And  the  24 
disciples  were  amazed  at  his  words.     But  Jesus 
answereth  again,  and  saith  unto  them.  Children, 
3  Some  ancient     how  hard  is  it  ^for  them  that  trust  in  riches  to 

manuscripts 

Sfc8?7n  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God!    It  is  easier  for  a  25 
camel  to  go  through  a  needle's  eye,  than  for  a 
rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.    And  26 
they  were    astonished    exceedingly,  saying   unto 
him,  Then  who   can    be   saved?      Jesus  looking  27 
upon  them  saith,  With  men  it  is  impossible,  but 


had  to  earn  his  bread  had  very  little  chance  to  enter  the 
kingdom.  One  must  be  fairly  well-to  do  in  order  to  know 
and  keep  the  law.  Hence  the  surprise  of  the  disciples  at 
the  thought  that  riches  are  an  obstacle  to  entering  the 
kingdom.  Jesus  by  making  religion  simple,  consisting  in 
loving  trust  in  God  and  loving  helpfulness  to  men,  which 
even  the  poorest  can  cherish  and  put  into  practice,  opened 
the  door  of  hope  to  the  poor;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  he 
saw  and  taught  that  riches,  which  always  tempt  men  to 
trust  in  them  rather  than  in  God  and  conduce  to  selfish- 
ness toward  their  fellow  men,  make  it  hard  (notice  that 
Jesus  does  not  say  impossible,  for  even  the  hyperbole  in 
vs.  25,  does  not  mean  that)  for  those  who  possess  them  to 
enter  the  kingdom.  C/.  Matt.  5  3.  Vs.  25,  "  a  needle's  eye  " : 
a  strong  figurative  expression,  meaning  just  what  the 
words  say  (not,  as  some  have  supposed,  a  city  gate  called 
the  needle's  eye),  but,  of  course,  to  be  understood  as  hyper- 
bole, since  it  is  absolutely  impossible  for  a  camel  to  go 
through  a  needle's  eye,  while  Jesus  says  in  vs.  27  that  it  is 
not  impossible  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  the  kingdom.  Vs. 
30,  "shall  receive  a  hundred-fold  now  in  this  time":  Not, 


The  Kich  Young  Man  141 

not  with  God:  for  all  things  are  possible  with 

28  God.     Peter  began  to  say  unto  him,  Lo,  we  have 

29  left  all,  and  have  followed  thee.  Jesus  said. 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  There  is  no  man  that  hath 
left  house,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  mother,  or 
father,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  sake,  and  for 

30  the  gospel's  sake,  but  he  shall  receive  a  hundred-fold 
now  in  this  time,  houses,  and  brethren,  and  sisters, 
and  mothers,  and  children,  and  lands,  with  persecu- 

31  tions;  and  in  the*  world  to  come  eternal  life.     But  iOv,age 
many  that  are  first  shall  be  last ;  and  the  last  first. 


of  course,  necessarily  as  reckoned  in  dollars  and  cents  (or 
in  talents  or  denarii),  but  in  real  value  to  the  one  who  sur- 
renders these  things.  Following  Jesus  is,  for  the  present 
life  even,  a  hundredfold  more  profitable  than  following 
one's  own  selfish  purposes.  This  is  not  hyperbole,  but  the 
sober  truth  that  has  been  proved  by  experience  many 
times  over.  "With  persecutions":  Those  who  will  live 
godly  lives,  will  have  occasion  to  suffer;  but  it  will  still 
remain  true  that  the  devotion  of  the  life  to  Christ's  service 
is  the  truest  wisdom.  Vs.  31,  "  many  that  are  first  shall  be 
last  and  the  last  first":  God  is  judge  and  rewarder,  and 
not  those  that  seem  to  be  first  or  really  are  so  in  time—  as, 
for  example,  the  twelve  disciples  to  whom  Jesus  was  speak- 
ing—  will  necessarily  have  the  greatest  reward.  God's 
judgments  are  not  always  the  same  as  men's. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Tell  the  story  of  the  rich  young  man.     (2)  Why 

did  Jesus  object  to  his  calling  him  good?   (3)*  Why  did 

Jesus  point  him  to  the  commandments?    (4)  In  what 

sense  was  it  true  that  he  had  kept  those  commandments? 


142   The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

(5)*  What  was  the  defect  of  this  young  man's  morality? 
(6)  Study  the  character  of  this  young  man,  and  deter- 
mine as  far  as  you  can  what  was  good  and  what  was 
evil  in  him.  (7)  Did  Jesus  ask  him  to  give  away  his 
property  because  this  was  an  invariable  rule  for  all  his 
disciples,  or  because  this  man's  sin  was  covetousness, 
which  could  be  eradicated  only  by  such  an  extreme 
measure?  (8)  Does  Jesus  expect  all  his  followers  to 
surrender  their  property  in  the  sense  that  they  hold  it 
subject  to  his  will?  (9)*  What  is  the  principle  of 
conduct  under  which  Jesus  acted  and  according  to 
which  he  desired  all  his  followers  to  act?  (10)  Would 
acting  on  this  principle  lead  one  to  keep  the  great  com- 
mands of  the  law?  (11)*  Could  any  list  of  command- 
ments be  made  long  enough  to  include  all  the  things 
that  this  principle  would  cover?  Answer  thought- 
fully. (12)  The  Israelites  were  given  many  specific 
commands;  must  nations  and  children  obey  rules  until 
they  learn  to  act  from  principle?  (13)  Ought  we  always 
to  remain  children  in  this  respect,  or  to  learn  to  act 
from  principle  in  all  things?  (14)  What  does  the 
expression  "enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God"  in  vs.  23 
mean?  (15)  What  is  the  teaching  of  vss.  23-25?  (16)* 
Why  are  riches  such  an  obstacle  to  entering  the  king- 
dom of  God?  (17)  Why  were  the  disciples  astonished 
at  this  teaching?  (18)  What  does  Jesus  say  (vss.  29, 
30)  they  shall  have  who  surrender  friends  and  posses- 
sions for  his  sake  and  the  gospel's  sake  ?  (19)  How  is 
this  promise  fulfilled?  (20)  Did  you  ever  know  of  any- 
one who  was  really  worse  off  for  following  Christ  ?  (21) 
Is  the  actual  parting  with  friends  and  kindred  and 
property  necessary  in  every  case  in  order  to  follow 
Christ?  Has  it  often  been  necessary?  Ought  we  all 
to  be  ready  to  make  the  surrender  if  necessary  ? 


SECTION  XLIl 

JESUS'  ANNOUNCEMENT  OF  HIS  CRUCIFIXION, 

10:32-34 

32  And  they  were  in  the  way,  going  up  to  Jeru- 
salem; and  Jesus  was  going  before  them:  and 
they  were  amazed;  and  they  that  followed  were 
afraid.  And  he  took  again  the  twelve,  and  began 
to  tell  them  the  things  that  were  to  happen  unto 

33  him,  saying,  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem ;  and 
the  Son  of  man  shall  be  delivered  unto  the  chief 
priests  and  the  scribes;  and  they  shall  condemn 
him    to  death,  and  shall    deliver    him    unto  the 

3'.!:  Gentiles:  and  they  shall  mock  him,  and  shall  spit 
upon  him,  and  shall  scourge  him,  and  shall  kill 
him ;  and  after  three  days  he  shall  rise  again. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  32,  "Jesus  was  going  before  them:  and  they  were 
amazed;  and  they  that  followed  were  afraid":  They 
evidently  noticed  the  earnestness  and  determination  in  his 
manner.  Jesus  foresees  the  great  suffering  before  him, 
but  he  is  determined  bravely  to  endure  it.  Vs.  33,  "  the 
Son  of  man  shall  be  delivered  unto  the  chief  priests  and 
the  scribes":  to  the  Sanhedrin,!  the  Jewish  court.  "Shall 
deliver  him  unto  the  Gentiles":  This  statement  Jesus  had 
not  made  before  when  he  had  spoken  of  his  death.  The 
Jewish  court  was  not  allowed  to  put  a  man  to  death.  This 
power  belonged  to  the  Roman  procurator,  an  officer 
appointed  by  the  emperor  at  Rome  to  take  charge  of  the 
affairs  in  a  province.  Jesus'  prediction  is  therefore  that 
he  will  be  put  to  death  by  regular  process  of  law,  not  by 
mob  violence. 

143 


144   The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  impression  did  Jesus'  manner  as  he  went 
up  to  Jerusalem  make  upon  his  disciples  and  followers? 
(Compare  vs.  39  as  suggesting  what  was  in  Jesus'  mind 
at  this  time.)  (2)*  Of  what  feeling  and  purpose 
respecting  his  death  was  this  manner  the  reflection? 
(3)  What  prediction  did  Jesus  make  to  his  disciples  at. 
this  time?  (4)  On  what  previous  occasion  had  he  made 
similar  announcements?  (5)*  In  what  respect  does 
this  prediction  differ  from  the  preceding  ones  ? 


SECTION  XLIII 

THE  AMBITION  OP  JAMES  AND  JOHN  REPROVED, 
10:35-45 

35  And  there  come  near  unto  him  James  and 
John,  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  saying  unto  him, 
*  Master,  we  would  that  thou  shouldest  do  for  us  i  Teacher 

3G  whatsoever  we  shall  ask  of  thee.  And  he  said 
unto  them.  What  would  ye  that  I  should  do  for 

37  you?  And  they  said  unto  him.  Grant  unto  us 
that  we  may  sit,  one  on  thy  right  hand,  and  one  on 

38  thy  left  hand,  in  thy  glory.  But  Jesus  said  unto 
them,  Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask.  Are  ye  able  to 
drink  the  cup  that  I  drink  ?  or  to  be  baptized  with 

39  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with  ?  And  they 
said  unto  him,  We  are  able.     And  Jesus  said  unto 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  37,  "grant  unto  us  that  we  may  sit,  one  on  thy 
right  hand,  and  one  on  thy  left  hand,  in  thy  glory":  a 
request  which  shows  both  that  the  disciples  still  looked 
for  a  political  kingdom,  and  that  these  two  at  least  still 
had  a  selfish  ambition  to  outrank  their  fellow-apostles. 
Vs.  38,  "are  ye  able  to  drink  the  cup,"  etc.:  Both  cup  and 
baptism  are  figurative  expressions  for  the  painful  experi- 
ences through  which  Jesus  foresaw  that  he  must  pass. 
Vs. 39,  "the  cup  that  I  drink  ye  shall  drink":  They  should 
also  endure  suffering,  although  it  might  not  be  the  same  or 
so  severe.  Acts  12  1-3  states  some  of  the  sufferings  which 
they  afterward  experienced.  Vs.  42,  "they  which  are 
145 


Sbond- 
servant 


146   The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

them,  The  cup  that  I  drink  ye  shall  drink;  and 
with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  withal  shall 
ye  be  baptized:  but  to  sit  on  my  right  hand  or  on  40 
my  left  hand  is  not  mine   to   give :  but  it  is  for 
them  for  whom  it  hath  been  prepared.     And  when  41 
the  ten  heard  it,  they   began  to  be  moved  with 
indignation   concerning  James  and    John.     And  42 
Jesus  called  them  to  him,  and  saith  unto  them.  Ye 
know  that  they  which  are  accol^lted  to  rule  over 
the   Gentiles   lord  it  over   them ;  and  their  great 
ones  exercise  authority  over  them.     But  it  is  not  43 
so  among  you :  but  whosoever  would  become  great 
among  you  shall  be  your  ^minister:  and   whoso-  44 
ever  would  be  first  among  you,  shall   be  ^servant 
of  all.     For  verily  the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  45 
ministered   unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his 
life  a  ransom  for  many. 

accounted  to  rule":  Officials,  governors,  etc.  "Lord  it 
over  them":  domineer,  rule  according  to  their  own  pleas- 
ure. On  vss.  43,  44,  cf.  9  35  and  notes.  Vs.  45,  "  for  verily 
the  Son  of  mant  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister":  not  to  be  served,  but  to  serve.  Jesus  himself 
sets  the  example  to  the  disciples.  "And  to  give  his  life": 
not  simply  to  die,  but  to  devote  his  life  to  the  service  of 
mankind,  being  willing  to  die  if  need  be,  which  in  his  case 
was  necessary.  "A  ransom  for  many":  By  thus  giving  his 
life  many  were  to  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  sin. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)  What  request  did  the  brothers  James  and  John 
make  for  themselves?    (2)*  What  does  the  making  of 


James  and  John  Reproved    147 

this  request  show  as  to  the  ideas  which  they  still 
cherished  concerning  the  kingdom  that  Jesus  would 
establish?  (3)  What  does  it  show  as  to  their  under- 
standing of  what  Jesus  had  just  said  about  dying? 
(4)  *  To  what  cup  and  to  what  baptism  did  Jesus  refer 
in  his  question  to  them  ?  (5)  Did  the  disciples  probably 
realize  how  much  this  cup  and  this  baptism  would 
mean  when  they  said,  "We  are  able"?  (6)  What  did 
Jesus  mean  when  he  told  them  that  they  should  drink 
his  cup  and  be  baptized  with  his  baptism?  Compare 
8  31-35.  (7)  How  was  this  prediction  fulfilled?  (8)* 
State,  if  you  can,  the  teaching  of  vss.  39,  40  in  the  form 
of  a  general  principle.  (9)  *  What  great  principle  con- 
cerning the  basis  of  rank  and  pre-eminence  among  his 
disciples  does  Jesus  state  in  vss.  42-44?  Be  sure  you 
grasp  this  principle.  Try  to  give  some  illustrations  of 
how  it  would  apply  in  our  lives  today.  (10)  What 
does  Jesus  state  in  vs.  45  as  the  principle  of  his  own 
life?  (11)  Is  the  principle  that  applies  to  the  Son  of 
man  the  same  that  applies  to  the  sons  of  men  who  are 
his  disciples?  (12)  Does  Jesus  expect  us  to  live  our 
lives  on  the  same  principle  on  which  he  lived  his? 
(13)  Is  the  principle  one  which  is  to  be  applied  only  by 
those  who  are  called  upon  to  suffer  martyrdom  or  to  die 
for  others,  or  by  all  Christians  and  at  all  times  ?  (14)  Is 
this  principle  any  more  really  or  perfectly  obeyed  by 
one  who  dies  as  a  martyr  than  by  one  who,  not  being 
called  upon  to  die,  devotes  all  his  energies  continually 
to  the  good  of  his  fellow  men  and  the  advancement  of 
God's  kingdom  in  the  world? 


SECTION  XLIV 

THE  BLIND  MAN  NEAR  JERICHO  HEALED, 
10:46-52 

And  they  come  to  Jericho :  and  as  he  went  out  46 
from  Jericho,  with  his  disciples  and  a  great  mul- 
titude, the  son  of  Timseus,  Bartimseus,   a   blind 
beggar,  was  sitting  by  the  way  side.     And  when  47 
he  heard  that  it  was  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  he  began 
to  cry  out,  and  say,  Jesus,  thou  son  of  David,  have 
mercy  on  me.     And  many  rebuked  him,  that  he  48 
should  hold  his  peace:  but  he  cried  out  the  more 
a  great  deal,  Thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on 
me.     And  Jesus  stood  still,  and  said.  Call  ye  him.  49 
And  they  call  the  blind  man,  saying  unto  him,  Be 
of  good  cheer:  rise,   he   calleth  thee.     And  he,   50 
casting  away  his  garment,  sprang  up,  and  came  to 
Jesus.     And  Jesus  answered  him,  and  said,  What  51 
wilt  thou  that  I  should  do  unto  thee?     And  the 

iseejohn20:i6    bHud  mau  sald  unto  him,  ^Rabboni,  that  I   may 

receive  my  sight.     And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Go  52 

2 cured, ov       thy  way;  thy  faith  hath  ^made  thee  whole.     And 

aiinprl  thee  •'  *'     '  •' 

straightway  he   received   his  sight,  and  followed 
him  in  the  way. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  47,  "Jesus,  thou  Son  of  David "t:  This  is  the  first 
instance  in  the  gospel  of  Mark  in  which  anyone  except  a 
demoniac  has  publicly  addressed  Jesus  by  a  messianic 
148 


saved  thee 


The  Blind  Man  Healed  149 

title.  Vs.  51,  "Rabboni"!:  a  title  applied  to  religious 
teachers.  Vs.  52,  "thy  faith  hath  rtiade  thee  whole"t:  re- 
stored thee  to  soundness.     Cf.  5  :  24,  34. 

questio:ns 

(1)  Where  is  Jericho  f?  (2)*  Does  the  incident  of 
vss.  46-52  come  near  the  beginning  or  the  end  of  the 
journey  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem  ?  Compare  10  i  and 
10  32.  (3)  Tell  the  story  of  Bartimeus.  (4)  What  does 
the  title  "Son  of  David"  mean?  (5)  Is  there  any 
previous  record  in  this  gospel  of  anyone  calling  Jesus 
by  this  title?  (6)*  What  does  the  fact  that  Bartimeus 
calls  him  by  this  title  show  as  to  what  people  were 
thinking  about  Jesus,  and  what  does  Jesus*  acceptance 
of  the  title  without  rebuke  show  as  to  his  willingness 
now  to  be  recognized  as  the  Messiah  ?  What  reason  can 
you  give  for  this?  (7)  What  commendable  character- 
istics does  Bartimeus  show  on  this  occasion?  (8)  What 
did  he  believe  and  how  did  he  show  his  faith?  Cf. 
questions  7,  8,  15  on  Section  XX.  (9)  How  was  his 
faith  and  persistence  rewarded?  (10)*  What  main 
division  of  the  gospel  ends  with  this  section?  Where 
does  this  main  division  begin?  (11)  Name  the  main 
divisions  that  precede  it. 


SECTION  XLV 

THE  TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY;  JESUS  SALUTED  AS 
MESSIAH,  11:1-11 
And  when  they  draw  nigh  unto  Jerusalem, 
unto  Bethphage  and  Bethany,  at  the  mount  of 
Olives,  he  sendeth  two  of  his  disciples,  and  saith 
unto  them,  Go  your  way  into  -the  village  that  is 
over  against  you :  and  straightway  as  ye  enter  into 
it,  ye  shall  find  a  colt  tied,  whereon  no  man  ever 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

With  this  section  begins  the  account  of  Jesus'  last 
days  in  Jerusalem.  Vs.  1, "  and  when  they  draw  nigh  unto 
Jerusalem,"!"  unto  Bethphage,!  and  Bethany  ""f:  See  the 
map  on  page  151.  The  road  by  which  Jesus  came  was 
probably  that  which  winds  around  the  southern  slope  of 
the  Mount  of  Olives.  Vs.  2,  "  into  the  village  that  is  over 
against  you";  ^.  e.,  opposite  you,  perhaps  across  a  valley 
from  the  spot  where  they  stood.  What  the  village  was  we 
do  not  know,  possibly  Bethphage.  "  Whereon  no  man  ever 
yet  sat":  i.  e.,  a  young  colt.  Vs.  3,  " the  Lord ":  i.  e.,  Jesus. 
"Will  send  him  back  hither":  a  promise  to  return  the 
animal.  Vs.  8,  "  spread  their  garments  upon  the  way;  and 
others  branches":  thus  making  a  sort  of  a  carpet  for  him 
to  ride  upon.  The  garments  were  doubtless  the  outer 
cloaks.  See  notes  on  69.  Vs.  9,  "Hosanna":  a  Hebrew 
word  meaning  "Save  now;"  it  was  therefore  a  prayer  to 
God  now  to  save,  meaning  either  to  save  Israel,  or  to  be 
favorable  to  Jesus,  whom,  as  the  rest  of  the  verse  shows, 
they  meant  to  recognize  as  the  Messiah.  "  Blessed  is  [or  be] 
he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ":  also  a  prayer  for 
150 


The  Triumphal  Entry 


151 


3  yet  sat;  loose  him,  and  bring  him.  And  if  any- 
one say  unto  you,  Why  do  ye  this?  say  ye,  The 
Lord  hath  need  of  him ;  and  straightway  he  will 

4  send  him  back  hither.  And  they  went  away,  and 
found  a  colt  tied  at  the  door  without  in  the  open 

5  street;  and  they  loose  him.  And  certain  of  them 
that  stood   there  said  unto  them,  What    do    ye, 

6  loosing  the  colt?      And  they  said  unto  them  even 

7  as  Jesus  had  said:  and  they  let  them  go.  And 
they  bring  the  colt  unto  Jesus,  and  cast  on  him 

8  their  garments ;  and  he  sat  upon  him.     And  many 


God's  blessing  on  him  who  comes  in  God's  name,  i.  e.,  as 
God's  representative.  Vs.  10,  "  blessed  is  [or  be]  the  king- 
dom that  Cometh":  a  prayer  for  God's  blessing  on  the  com- 
ing kingdom,  or  reign  of  Messiah,    "in  the  highest":  in 


Index :    A,  summit  of  the  Mt.  of  Olives;  G,  traditional  site  of 
Gethsemane;  D,  St.  Stephen's  Gate ;  R,  possible  site  of  Bethphage. 


152     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

spread  their  garments  upon  the  way;  and  others 
branches,  which  they  had  cut  from  the  fields.  And  9 
they  that  went  before,  and  they  that  followed, 
cried,  Hosanna;  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord:  Blessed  is  the  kingdom  that  10 
cometh,  the  kingdom  of  our  father  David :  Hosanna 
in  the  highest. 

And  he  entered  into  Jerusalem,  into  the  temple ;  H 
and  when  he  had  looked  round  about  upon  all 
things,  it  being  now  eventide,  he  went  out  unto 
Bethany  with  the  twelve. 


heaven,  that  is,  where  God  dwells,  who  is  to  save.  By  his 
entry  into  the  city  in  triumph  and  his  acceptance  cf  the 
acclamations  of  the  people,  Jesus  virtually  announced  him- 
self to  be  the  Messiah.  Hitherto  he  had  avoided  making 
such  an  announcement  publicly,  and  had  made  declaration 
of  his  messiahship  only  to  his  disciples,  who  were  prepared 
for  it  by  their  sympathy  with  him  and  devotion  to  him,  or 
here  and  there  to  one  exceptionally  ready  for  it.  A  decla- 
ration that  he  was  the  Christ,  made  to  the  people  gener- 
ally, would  really  have  misrepresented  him,  since  they 
would  have  understood  the  word  Messiah  or  Christ  in 
their  sense  of  it.  But  now,  having  disclosed  his  character 
and  aims,  even  to  the  people,  as  fully  as  they  were  able  to 
apprehend  them,  it  was  needful  that  before  his  death, 
which  he  saw  to  be  near  at  hand,  he  should  publicly  make 
it  plain  that  he,  being  what  they  knew  him  to  be,  one  who 
seeking  not  political  but  spiritual  ends  claimed  the  alle- 
giance of  men,  was  indeed  the  Messiah  whom,  unintelli- 
gently,  they  expected. 


The  Triumphal  Entry  153 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Where  are  the  places  mentioned  in  vs.  1?  (2)* 
By  what  road  did  Jesus  probably  enter  Jerusalem? 
(3)  From  what  place  had  he  come?  (4)*  Having  read 
carefully  vss.  1-11,  using  the  notes  if  necessary  to  make 
clear  the  meaning,  tell  the  story  of  Jesus'  entry  into 
Jerusalem.  (5)*  Was  this  public  entrance  into  the  city 
forced  upon  Jesus  against  his  will,  or  was  it  planned 
and  accepted  by  him?  (6)  In  what  various  ways  did 
the  disciples  and  multitude  show  him  honor  ?  (7)  What 
is  the  meaning  of  the  word  "Hosanna,"  and  what  did 
the  people  mean  by  its  utterance  at  this  time?  (8) 
What  is  the  meaning  of  their  other  cries  ?  (9)  What  is 
the  meaning  of  the  whole  event  as  an  act  of  the  people? 
In  what  character  did  the  people  by  this  act,  and  espe- 
cially by  their  cries,  in  vss.  9, 10,  accept  Jesus?  (10)* 
What  did  Jesus  virtually  proclaim  respecting  himself 
by  this  act  of  his  acceptance  of  the  people's  homage? 
(11)  Had  Jesus  before  this  time  publicly  proclaimed 
himself  the  Messiah?  (12)*  Why  did  he  do  now  what 
he  had  carefully  abstained  from  doing  before?  (13) 
Where  did  Jesus  go  on  entering  the  city,  and  to  what 
place  did  he  retire  on  leaving  the  city? 


SECTION  XLVI 

THE  CURSING  OF  THE  FIG  TREE,  11 :  12-14 

And  on  the  morrow,  when  they  were  come  out  12 
from  Bethany,   he  hungered.     And  seeing  a  fig  13 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  12,  "on  the  morrow":  the  day  after  the  triumphal 
entry.  Vs.  13,  "  if  haply  he  might  find  anything  thereon  *': 
This  was  hardly  to  be  expected,  since,  although  in  the  fig 
tree  the  fruit  forms  before  the  leaves  appear,  it  does  not 


MOUNT    ZION   AND    THE    MOUNT    OF    OLIVES    FROM    THE   BETH- 
LEHEM   ROAD 

154 


The  Cuesing  of  the  Fig  Tree      155 

tree  afar  off  having  leaves,  he  came,  if  haply  he 
might  find  anything  thereon:  and  when  he  came 
to  it,  he  found  nothing  but  leaves;  for  it  was  not 
14  the  season  of  figs.  And  he  answered  and  said 
unto  it,  No  man  eat  fruit  from  thee  henceforward 
for  ever.     And  his  disciples  heard  it. 

ripen  till  later  in  the  season  than  this  event  is  said  to  have 
occurred;  as  the  narrative  says,  it  was  not  the  season  cf 
(ripe)  figs,  Jesus  must  have  come  in  the  hope  that  possibly 
he  might  find  a  few  figs  ripe  before  the  season.  "He  found 
nothing  but  leaves":  not  even  green  figs;  the  tree  bore 
leaves  only.  Vs.  14,  "  no  man  eat  fruit-  from  thee  hence- 
forward forever":  The  fig  tree  which  had  leaves  but  no 
figs  represents  people  who  make  others  believe  that  they 
are  doing  good  when  they  are  not.  Jesus  uses  the  fig  tree 
as  an  object-lesson  to  show  what  will  finally  be  the  sad 
condition  of  such  people.  The  application  of  the  lesson  in 
Jesus'  mind  was  probably  to  the  Jewish  nation,  which  at 
this  time  loudly  professed  to  be  righteous,  but  showed  little 
of  the  fruit  of  righteousness. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Tell  the  story  of  Jesus'  action  respecting  the  fig 
tree  (vss.  12-14).  (2)*  Was  the  purpose  of  Jesus,  in 
this  action,  to  punish  the  fig  tree,  or  to  use  it  to  teach 
the  disciples  a  lesson?  (3)  Of  what  was  the  fig  tree,  by 
reason  of  its  having  leaves  but  no  fruit,  a  natural  sjm- 
bol  1  (4)  Of  whom  or  of  what  class  of  persons  did  his 
action  express  disapproval? 


SECTION  XL VII 

THE  CLEANSING  OF  THE  TEMPLE,  11:15-19 

And  they  come  to  Jerusalem:  and  he  entered  15 

into  the  temple,  and  began  to  cast  out  them  th^t 

sold  and  them  that   bought   in   the   temple,  and 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  15,  "  and  he  entered  into  the  temple "  t :  see  the 
map  on  p.  151,  and  the  plan  of  the  temple,  p.  157.  "Them 
that  sold  and  them  that  bought":  The  traffic  was  doubt- 
less carried  on  in  the  great  court  of  the  gentiles,  so  called 
because  gentiles  were  not  allowed  to  proceed  beyond  it  into 
the  inner  parts  of  the  temple,  and  the  things  bought  and 
sold  were  animals  for  sacrifice  (c/.  John  2 14).  "Overthrew 
the  tables  of  the  money-changers":  The  temple-tax  was 
required  to  be  paid  in  Jewish  money,  and  as  Jews  came 
from  many  nations  to  attend  the  feasts,  it  was  necessary 
that  somewhere  they  should  be  able  to  exchange  the  money 
of  other  lands  for  Jewish  coins.  "Doves":  for  sacrifice. 
Vs.  16,  "carry  a  vessel  through  the  temple":  Probably  the 
people  made  the  court  of  the  gentiles  a  short  cut  from  one 
part  of  the  city  to  another.  Vs.  17,  "a  house  of  prayer  for 
all  the  nations":  not  for  Jews  only,  but,  as  the  very  name 
"court  of  the  gentiles"  might  have  reminded  them,  for 
gentiles  too.  "Den  of  robbers":  the  word  "robbers"  sug- 
gests that  probably  those  who  carried  on  the  trade  made 
extortionate  profits.  But  apart  from  this  the  trade  itself, 
carried  on  in  the  temple  court,  destroyed  it  as  a  place  of 
worship.  Vs.  18,  "the  chief  priests"!:  Very  likely  they 
had  been  interested  in  the  profits  of  this  traffic;  it  could 
hardly  have  gone  on,  at  any  rate,  without  their  consent. 
"  And  the  scribes  ":  These,  too,  as  the  teachers  according  to 
whose  decisions  even  the  priests  usually  acted,  could  not 
156 


The  Cleansing  of  the  Temple     157 

overthrew  the  tables  of  the  money-changers,  and 

16  the  seats  of  them  that  sold  the  dovies;  and  he 
would  not  ^suffer  that  any  man  should  carry  a  ves-  i  permit 

17  sel  through  the  temple.  And  he  taught,  and  said 
unto  them,  Is  it  not  written.  My  house  shall  be 
called  a  house  of  prayer  for  all  the  nations?  but 


PLAN  OF  THE  TEMPLE 
[  From  Edersheim,  r/ie  Temple  at  the  Time  of  Jesus  Christ  ] 
A,  Royal  Tyropoeon  Bridge ;  B  B,  etc.,  Terrace,  or  Chel,  outside  of 
which  tradition  places  a  low  inclosure,  called  the  Soreg ;  C  C  C,  South 
Side  Gates,  the  second  on  the  right  hand  being  the  ancient  Water 
Gate;  D  D  D,  North  Side  Gates ;  E  E  E  E,  Money  Chests;  F  F,  Courts 
and  Chambers;  G,  Nicanor  Gate;  H,  fifteen  steps  of  the  Levites; 
I,  House  of  Stoves ;  J,  Steps  of  the  Priests ;  K,  to  Mount  Zion ;  M,  To 
Bezetha. 


158      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

ye  have  made  it  a  den  of  robbers.     And  the  chief  18 
priests  and  the  scribes  heard  it  and  sought  how 
they  might  destroy  him:  for  they  feared  him,  for 
all  the  multitude  was  astonished  at  his  teaching. 

And  every  evening  he  went  forth  out  of  the  19 
city. 

escape  responsibility  for  the  traffic.  Both  classes  therefore 
had  their  reasons  for  being  displeased,  and  both  dreaded 
to  see  Jesus'  influence  growing. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Having  carefully  read  the  narrative  with  the 
plan  of  the  temple  before  you  or  in  mind,  tell  the  story 
of  the  cleansing  of  the  temple.  (2).*  Was  the  traffic 
which  was  carried  on  in  the  temple  court  in  itself  a 
necessary  one?  Why?  (3)  Was  it  necessary  that  it 
should  be  carried  on  in  the  temple  court  ?  (4)  In  what 
part  of  the  temple  was  it  probably  conducted?  (5)* 
What  two  things  made  the  traffic  as  conducted  wrong? 
(6)  Is  the  rebuking  of  evil  a  part  of  the  duty  of  a  right- 
eous man?  (7)  Can  you  suggest  for  whonj  and  under 
what  conditions  such  rebuke  is  a  duty?  See  Matt.  7  ^-^. 
(8)*  In  view  of  Jesus'  entry  into  the  city  the  day  before, 
would  this  act  seem  to  be  an  assumption  of  messianic  , 
authority?  Give  a  reason  for  your  answer.  (9)  Why 
were  the  priests  and  scribes  angry  ?  (10)  What  did  they 
plan  to  do?  (11)  What  course  ought  we  to  pursue 
when  someone  condemns  an  action  of  ours  as  wrong? 


SECTION  XLVIII 
COMMENT  ON  THE  WITHERED  FIG  TREE,  11:20-25 

20  And  as  they  passed  by  in  the  morning,  they 
saw  the   fig   tree  withered  away  from   the  roots. 

21  And  Peter  calling  to  remembrance  saith  unto  him, 
Kabbi,  behold,  the  fig  tree  which  thou  cnrsedst  is 

22  withered  away.     And  Jesus  answering  saith  -unto 

23  them,  Have  faith  in  God.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
Whosoever  shall  say  unto  this  mountain.  Be  thou 
taken  up  and  cast  into  the  sea;  and  shall  not 
doubt  in  his  heart,  but  shall  believe  that  what  he 

24  saith  cometh  to  pass;  he  shall  have  it.     Therefore 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  20,  "And  as  they  passed  by  in  the  morning":  i.e.,  of 
the  third  day,  counting  from  the  day  of  the  triumphal 
entry  as  the  first.  Vs.  22,  "  and  Jesus  answering  saith  unto 
them, Have  faith  in  God":  The  fig  tree  with  its  leaves,  but 
no  fruit,  was  like  the  Jewish  nation,  which  made  outward 
profession  of  being  good,  but  was  not  so  in  reality.  Cf. 
notes  on  vs.  14,  §XLVI.  But  the  nation  was  also  like  a 
great  mountain  in  the  way,  because  by  its  refusal  to  receive 
Jesus,  by  its  lack  of  real  goodness,  it  stood  in  the  way  of 
the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Yet,  though 
like  a  mountain,  Jesus  sees  that  it  is  to  be  taken  out  of  the 
way  (as,  in  fact,  came  to  pass  in  large  part  through  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  in  70  A.  D.).  So  from  the  fig 
tree  Jesus  passes  to  the  mountain  as  an  illustration,  and 
from  the  curse  that  falls  on  unfruitfulness  to  the  faith 
which  the  children  of  God  may  and  ought  to  have  even  in 
159 


160     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

I  say  unto  you,  All  things  whatsoever  ye  pray  and 
ask  for,  believe  that  ye  have  received  them,  and 
ye  shall  have  them.  And  whensoever  ye  stand  25 
praying,  forgive,  if  ye  have  aught  against  any 
one;  that  your  Father  also  which  is  in  heaven 
may  forgive  you  your  trespasses. 

the  face  of  the  greatest  difficulties  and  obstacles.  Vs.  25 
"and  whensoever  ye  stand  praying,  forgive":  But  though 
we  pray  in  faith  for  the  removal  of  obstacles,  this  must  not 
be  in  a  vindictive  spirit,  as  if  we  should  ask  for  vengeance 
on  our  enemies.  We  who  need  forgiveness  must  ourselves 
forgive. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  In  what  condition  was  the  fig  tree  found  the 
next  morning  after  Jesus  had  spoken  his  word  con- 
cerning it  ?  (2)  What  lesson  did  Jesus  draw  from  the 
fact  ?  (3)  How  is  this  lesson  suggested  by  the  incident 
of  the  fig  tree?  (4)*  Of  what  are  both  the  unfruitful 
fig  tree  and  the  mountain  symbols?  (5)*  In  what 
respect  does  each  resemble  the  thing  illustrated?  (6) 
Does  vs.  24  teach  us  to  ask  for  anything  whatever  that 
we  fancy  and  believe  that  we  shall  obtain  it,  or  that 
whatever  we  do  pray  for  we  should  ask  for  in  faith?  (7) 
In  what  spirit  does  vs.  25  teach  that  we  should  pray  ? 
(8)  In  consistency  with  this  teaching,  can  we  pray  in  a 
vindictive,  unforgiving  spirit  for  the  overthrow  or  re- 
moval of  those  people  who  seem  to  us  to  be  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  the  kingdom?  (9)*  In  what  different 
aspects  of  his  character  and  mission  is  Jesus  presented 
to  us  in  the  last  three  sections?  (10)  What  lessons 
helpful  to  us  today  are  taught  or  illustrated  in  them  ? 


SECTION  XLIX 
CHRIST'S  AUTHORITY  CHALLENGED,  11:27-33 

27  And  tliey  come  again  to  Jerusalem:  and  as  he 
was  walking  in  the  temple,  there  come  to  him  the 

28  chief  priests,  and  the  scribes,  and  the  elders;  and 
they  said  unto  him,  By  what  authority  doest  thou 
these  things  ?  or  who  gave  thee  this  authority  to 

29  do  these  things?  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  I 
will  ask  of  you  one  question,  and  answer  me,  and 
I  will  tell  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these  things. 

30  The  baptism  of  John,  was  it  from  heaven,  or  from 

31  men  ?  answer  me.  And  they  reasoned  with  them- 
selves, saying,  If  we  shall  say.  From  heaven;  he 

32  will  say.  Why  then  did  ye  not  believe  him  ?  But 
should  we  say.  From  men  —  they  feared  the 
people:  for  all  verily  held  John  to  be  a  prophet. 

33  And  they  answered  Jesus  and  say,  We  know  not. 
And  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  Neither  tell  I  you  by 
what  authority  I  do  these  things. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  27,  "  the  chief  priests,t  and  the  scribes,!  and  the 
elders"!:  the  three  classes  which,  both  as  separate  classes 
and  as  those  from  which  the  Sanhedrin-f  was  made  up, 
were  most  influential  among  the  Jews.  Cf.  8  31;  10  33.  Vs. 
28,  "these  things":  the  things  Jesus  had  been  doing, 
probably  especially  the  cleansing  of  the  temple.  Vs.  29, 
"I  will  ask  of  you  one  question  ":  Had  they  come  to  him 
with  open  minds,  really  wishing  to  know  the  truth  about 
161 


162     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

him,  Jesus  would  probably  have  given  them  a  direct  and 
plain  answer.  Cf.  his  answers  in  2  8,9;  1018-21.  Yet  even 
his  question  did  in  fact  answer  theirs.  John  had  not  been 
proved  to  be  a  prophet  by  signs  from  heaven,  or  even  by 
miracles  that  he  wrought.  Yet  the  people  generally  had 
recognized  him  as  a  prophet  because  of  the  character  of 
his  teaching.  Had  the  Jewish  leaders  been  even  as  open- 
minded  and  discerning  as  the  people,  they  would  have 
received  John,  and  still  more  Jesus;  for  not  only  were 
Jesus'  teachings  and  life  superior  to  those  of  John,  but  he 
also  had  John's  testimony  to  his  superiority.  By  his 
answer  Jesus  in  effect  points  therii  to  these  evidences. 
What  they  needed  was  not  more  evidence,  but  more  open- 
ness of  mind  to  accept  the  evidence  they  had. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  question  did  the  chief  priests,  scribes,  and 
elders  put  to  Jesus  when  he  came  again  to  the  temple? 
(2)*  Describe  each  of  these  three  classes,  and  their 
position  in  the  Jewish  nation.  (3)  What  important 
national  court  was  made  up  from  these  classes?  (4) 
What  did  they  mean  by  "these  things"  in  their  ques- 
tion? (5)*  Why  did  Jesus  answer  their  question  l?y 
another  instead  of  giving  them  a  plain  reply?  (6)* 
What  was  Jesus'  habit  in  the  matter  of  answering 
questions  put  to  him?  Give  some  examples.  (7)*  Did 
his  question  really  answer  theirs?  If  so,  explain  how. 
(8)  How  did  they  answer,  and  why  did  they  answer  in 
this  way?  (9)  What  vice  of  mind  did  they  display 
both  in  their  question  and  in  their  way  of  answering 
Jesus'  question  ?  (10)  Is  this  vice  of  mind  also  a  moral 
fault?  Does  it  lead  to  serious  consequences?  If  so, 
indicate  some  of  these? 


SECTION  L 
THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  VINEYARD,  12:1-12 

1  And  he  began  to  speak  unto  them  in  parables. 
A  man  planted  a  vineyard,  and  set  a  hedge  about 
it,  and  digged  a  pit  for  the  winepress,  and  built  a 
tower,  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and  went  into 

2  another  country.  And  at  the  season  he  sent  to 
the  husbandmen  a  servant,  that  he  might  receive 
from  the  husbandmen  of   the  fruits  of  the  vine- 

3  yard.     And  they  took  him,  and  beat  him,  and  sent 

4  him  away  empty.  And  again  he  sent  unto  them 
another  servant ;  and  him  they  wounded  in  the  head, 

6  and  handled  shamefully.    And  he  sent  another ;  and 

him  they  killed :  and  many  others ;  beating  some, 

6  and  killing  some.     He  had  yet  one,  a  beloved  son : 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

As  a  story  this  parable  requires  little  explanation,  and 
its  application  and  general  teaching  are  almost  equally 
plain.  It  tells  in  brief  the  history  of  God's  dealing  with 
the  Jewish  nation.  The  vineyard  represents  the  nation  as 
a  field  of  opportunity  and  responsibility.  The  husbandmen 
are  the  people  to  whom  this  opportunity  is  intrusted.  The 
servants  are  the  prophets  and  teachers  who  centuries  long 
have  exhorted  the  nation  to  render  to  God  the  honor  and 
service  that  was  due  him.  The  son  is  Jesus  himself.  Vs. 
9  is  a  prediction  that  the  nation  is  finally  to  be  overthrown, 
and  that  the  opportunities  and  responsibilities  which  had 
been  peculiarly  theirs  are  to  be  given  to  others,  i.  e.,  not  to 

las 


164     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

he   sent   him   last  unto  them,  saying,  They   will 
reverence  my  son.     But  those  husbandmen  said     7 
among  themselves,  This  is  the  heir;  come,  let  us 
kill  him,  and  the  inheritance  shall  be  ours.     And     8 
they  took  him,  and  killed  him,  and  cast  him  forth 
out  of  the  vineyard.     What  therefore  will  the  lord     9 
of  the  vineyard  do?  he  will  come  and  destroy  the 
husbandmen,    and    will   give    the   vineyard    unto 
others.     Have  ye  not  read  even  this  scripture ;         10 
The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected, 
The  same  was  made  the  head  of  the  corner: 
This  was  from  the  Lord,  11 

And  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes? 
And  they  sought  to  lay  hold  on  him ;  and  they   12 
feared  the  multitude;  for  they  perceived  that  he 
spake  the  parable  against  them:    and  they  left 
him,  and  went  away. 


any  particular  nation,  but  to  all,  Jews  or  gentiles,  who  would 
accept  the  truth.  In  vs.  10  a  passage  from  Ps.  118  22,  23, 
which  as  originally  uttered  referred  to  the  Jewish  nation, 
which,  though  despised  by  other  nations,  was  given  a  place 
of  peculiar  responsibility  by  God,  is  applied  by  Jesus  to  him- 
self. The  principle  is  a  general  one:  God  rules  in  the 
world,  not  according  to  the  ideas  of  men,  but  according  to 
his  own  wisdom  and  choice.  That  the  passage  was  origi- 
nally spoken  with  reference  to  the  nation  makes  its  applica- 
tion to  Jesus  the  more  forcible.  The  same  principle  that 
once  exalted  them,  now  that  they  have  been  unfaithful  to 
their  opportunities,  means  their  downfall. 


The  Pakable  of  the  Vineyard     165 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Having  carefully  read  the  parable  of  the  vine- 
yard, first  tell  it  simply  as  a  story.  For  any  words  that 
are  not  clear  see  the  dictionary.  (2)*  Remembering 
that  the  parable  undoubtedly  applied  directly  to  the 
people  to  whom  Jesus  was  speaking  (see  vs.  12),  con- 
sider whom  the  vineyard,  the  husbandmen,  the  servants, 
and  the  son  respectively  represent.  (3)  To  whom  did  the 
passage  quoted  in  vss.  10, 11,  apply  as  originally  uttered 
by  the  psalmist?  (4)  To  whom  does  Jesus  apply 
it?  (5)*  What  is  the  principle  that  it  sets  forth  and 
that  is  applicable  in  both  cases?  (6)  Retell  the  para- 
ble with  its  application  as  intended  by  Jesus.  (7)  How 
was  the  prediction  of  vs.  9  fulfilled?  (8)  Is  the  lesson 
of  this  parable  limited  to  the  Jewish  nation,  or  does  it 
convey  a  general  warning  applicable  today  also  and 
always?  If  so,  state  the  lesson  and  suggest  applica- 
tions of  it. 


a  coin  of  Philip  the  Tetrarch,  bearing  the  image  and  superscrip- 
tion of  Tiberius  Csesar.—  [From  Madden,  Coins  of  the  Jews.] 


SECTION  LI 

THREE  QUESTIONS  BY  THE  JEWISH  RULERS, 
12:13-34 

A.    The  Question  about  Tribute  to  C^sar 

And  they  send  unto  him  certain  of  the  Phari-   13 
sees  and  of  the  Herodians,  that  they  might  catch 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  13,  "  and  they  send  unto  him  certain  of  the  Phari- 
sees •!■  and  of  the  Herodians  ""f:  an  unusual  combination  of 
men,  brought  together  by  their  hostility  to  Jesus.  "  That 
they  might  catch  him  in  talk  ":  lead  him  into  saying  some- 
thing which  they  might  make  the  ground  of  a  charge 
against  him.  Vs.  14,  "  is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute  to  Caesar, 
or  not?":  i.e.,  is  it  right  to  pay  taxes  to  the  Roman 
emperor?  Caesar,  originally  a  personal  name,  had  come  to 
be  simply  a  general  name  for  the  Roman  emperor  at  any 
time  on  the  throne,  as  still  today  the  German  emperor  is 
called  Kaiser,  and  the  Russian  emperor  Czar.  Judea,  the 
southern  part  of  Palestine,  was  directly  subject  to  Rome 
(being  governed  by  a  governor,  procurator,  appointed  by 
the  Roman  emperor),  and  paid  taxes  to  Rome.  It  was  a 
point  of  dispute  among  the  Jews  whether  this  was  right, 
the  Pharisees  questioning  whether  it  was  right  for  them 
as  God's  people  to  pay  taxes  to  any  foreign  ruler,  while  the 
Herodians  doubtless  maintained  the  rightfulness  of  such 
payment.  Whichever  side  of  the  question  Jesus  took,  it 
seemed  to  them  he  would  be  in  difficulty.  If  he  said  that 
it  was  right  to  pay  tribute,  they  could  urge  that  this  was 
disloyalty  to  God,  and, so  discredit  him  with  the  people, 
perhaps  even  raise  a  riot  against  him.  If  he  said  it  was 
not  right,  they  would  complain  of  him  to  the  Roman  gover- 
nor on  the  ground  that  he  was  encouraging  disloyalty  to 
166 


Thkee  Questions  by  Jewish  Kulers    167 

14  him  in  talk.     And  when  they  were  come,  they  say 

unto  him,  ^Master,  we  know  that  thou  art  true,  and  i  Teacher 
carest  not  for  any  one :  for  thou  regardest  not  the 
person  of  men,  but  of  a  truth  teachest  the  way  of 
God:  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute  unto  Csesar,  or 

15  not  ?     Shall  we  give,  or  shall  we  not  give  ?     But 
he,  knowing  their  hypocrisy,  said  unto  them,  Why 

Rome.  Vs.  15,  "knowing  their  hypocrisy":  i.  e.,  in  pro- 
fessing to  ask  his  opinion,  while,  in  fact,  only  wishing  to 
entrap  him.  Vs.  16,  "  whose  is  this  image  and  superscrip- 
tion? ":  The  head  of  the  emperor  stamped  on  the  coin,  and 
his  name  written  about  the  head  (as  they  may  still  be  seen 
on  coins  preserved  from  that  time — see  p.  165)  were  the 
symbols  of  the  fact  that  Judea  was  subject  to  the  Roman 
emperor,  that  a  Roman  governor  and  Roman  soldiers 
maintained  peace  in  Judea  —  a  service  for  the  expenses  of 
which  taxes  were  necessary.  This  was  all  the  more 
impressive  because,  in  fact,  the  Romans  were  in  authority 
in  no  small  measure  because  of  the  dissensions  of  the  Jews 
among  themselves  and  their  proved  inability  to  rule  them-  t 
selves.  However  much  it  was  against  their  will,  they  were 
obliged  in  effect  to  pay  the  Romans  to  maintain  peace  in 
their  country.  Vs.  17,  "render  unto  Caesar  the  things 
that  are  Caesar's":  not,  pay  tribute  with  his  coin  because 
Caesar's  head  on  it  proves  that  it  is  Caesar's,  but  if  you  owe 
Caesar  anything  for  that  government  of  which  the  coin  is 
the  symbol,  pay  your  debts.  "  And  unto  God  the  things 
that  are  God's":  and  if  you  owe  to  God  reverence  and 
obedience,  reverence  and  obey  him.  This  is  as  much  as  to 
say,  that  the  two  things  are  not  inconsistent,  and  that  to 
pay  taxes  to  Caesar  is  not  disloyalty  to  God.  But  it  is 
saying  it  in  such  a  way  that  they  could  not  make  any  use 
of  his  words  against  him  with  the  people  or  the  governor. 
The  principle  is  a  very  important  one  and  has  many  appli- 


168     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

^t^oTr^worth  ^^J^pt  ye  me?  bring  me  a  ^ penny,  that  I  may  see 
cente/^  '  it.  And  they  brought  it.  And  he  saith  unto  them, 
Whose  is  this  image  and  superscription?  And 
they  said  unto  him,  Caesar's.  And  Jesus  said 
unto  them.  Render  unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are 
Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's. 
And  they  marvelled  greatly  at  him. 


cations.  Real  duties  to  God  and  men  never  conflict.  We 
are  not  disloyal  to  God  by  rendering  to  men  the  honor  or 
the  service  that  is  due  them.  Real  duties  to  parents  never 
conflict  with  real  duties  to  God. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  v^^as  the  first  of  the  three  questions  put  to 
Jesus  by  the  Jewish  rulers?  (2)*  What  two  classes 
joined  in  putting  this  question?  Describe  each  briefly. 
(3)  In  what  spirit  and  with  what  purpose  did  they  ask  it  ? 
(4)*  What  was  the  political  situation  that  gave  occasion 
to  the  question?  (5)  How  was  Jewish  opinion  divided 
on.  it?  (6)  What  danger  to  Jesus  was  there  in  his 
answering  Yes?  What  in  his  answering  No?  (7)  How 
did  Jesus  answer  them  (vs.  15)?  (8)  Of  what  fact  in 
reference  to  the  condition  of  their  nation  were  the  image 
and  name  on  the  coin  an  indication?  What  obligation 
did  this  fact  create?  (9)*  What  principle  does  Jesus 
S3t  forth  in  vs.  17  ?  (10)  What  did  that  principle  mean 
as  applied  to  the  Jews  to  whom  he  spoke?  (11)  How 
did  this  answer  defeat  the  purpose  of  the  questioners  ? 
(12)  Suggest  some  ways  in  which  this  principle  applies 
to  us  today. 


Three  Questions  by  Jewish  Eulers    169 

B.    The  Question  about  the  Resurrection 

18  And  there  come  unto  -him  Sadducees,  whicli 
say  that  there  is  no  resurrection;  and  they  asked 

19  him,  saying,  ^  Master,  Moses  wrote  unto  us.  If  a  i  Teacher 
man's  brother  die,  and  leave  a  wife  behind  him, 

and  leave  no  child,  that  his  brother  should  take 
his    wife,  and    raise    up   seed    unto   his  brother. 

20  There  were  seven  brethren:  and  the  first  took  a 

21  wife,  and  dying  left  no  seed;  and  the  second  took 
her,  and  died,  leaving  no  seed  behind  him;  and 

22  the  third  likewise;  and  the  seven  left  no  seed. 

23  Last  of  all  the  woman  also  died.     In  the  resurrec- 

expxjAnatory  notes 

Vs.  18,  "  Sadducees,  which  say  that  there  is  no  resur- 
rection"!: The  Sadducees  did  not  believe  in  the  conscious 
existence  of  the  soul  after  the  death  of  the  body,  holding 
that  "in  the  death  of  a  man  there  is  no  remedy  "  (Wisd.  Sol. 
21).  Cf.  Acts  23  8.  Vs.  19,  "Moses  wrote":  see  Deut, 
25  5, 6.  Vs.  23,  "  in  the  resurrection,  whose  wife  shall  she 
be  of  them?"  The  question  assumes  that  if  there  is  a 
resurrection  and  a  future  life,  the  family  relations  of  this 
life  are  to  continue  in  that,  and  the  men  who  asked  it 
imagined  that  they  had  pointed  out  an  insuperable  diffi- 
culty in  the  notion  of  a  life  after  death.  Vs.  24,  "  know 
not  the  Scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God  ":  They  had  failed 
to  see  what  the  Old  Testament  implied,  and  they  had  too 
small  an  idea  of  the  power  of  God.  Vs.  25,  "  are  as  angels 
in  heaven  ":  This  shows  the  power  of  God,  which  does  not 
simply  restore  men  after  death  to  a  life  like  this,  but  intro- 
duces them  to  a  higher  one.    "As  angels":    not  that  they 


170     The  Gospel  aoooeding  to  Mark 

tion   whose   wife  shall  she  be  of  them?  for  the 
seven  had  her  to  wife.     Jesus  said  unto  them,  Is  24 
it  not  for  this  cause  that  ye  err,  that  ye  know 
not  the  scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God  ?     For  25 
when  they  shall  rise  from  the  dead,  they  neither 
marry,  nor  are   given   in  marriage;   but    are    as 
angels   in  heaven.      But  as  touching  the   dead,  26 
that  they  are  raised ;  have  ye  not  read  in  the  book 
of  Moses,  in  the  place  concerning  the  Bush,  how 
God  spake  unto  him,  saying,  I  am  the  God  of 
Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of 
Jacob?     He  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  27 
the  living:  ye  do  greatly  err. 


are  to  he  angels,  but  like  them  in  that  they  are  not  to  live 
a  bodily,  earthly  life.  Vs.  26  points  to  the  Scripture  and 
its  evidence  of  a  future  life.  "The  book  of  Moses":  the 
Pentateuch,  Genesis  to  Deuteronomy.  "The  Bush":  the 
passage  that  has  the  story  of  Moses  at  the  burning  bush, 
Exod.,  chap.  3.  Vs.  27,  "he  is  rot  the  God  of  the  dead, 
but  of  the  living":  This  does  not,  of  course,  mean  that 
God  is  not  the  God  of  those  who  have  died,  as  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob  had  died;  for  this  is  just  the  opposite  of 
what  Jesus  was  affirming.  And  it  can  hardly  mean  that 
because  God  uses  "  am  "  instead  of  "  was  "  in  speaking  of 
them  after  their  death  they  therefore  still  "  are  "  in  exist- 
ence. The  thought  is  deeper  than  this,  and  the  mean- 
ing is  doubtless  this,  that  when  God  comes  into  such 
fellowship  with  a  man  as  to  say  of  him  "I  am  his  God,"  he 
cannot  suffer  that  fellowship  to  cease,  hence  cannot  suffer 
that  man  to  cease  to  be.  Though  dead  to  men,  he  must 
live  to  God.  They  of  whom  God  says  "  I  am  their  God  " 
can  never  really  die. 


Three  Questions  by  Jewish  Rulers   171 

QUESTIONS 
(1)  What  question  did  the  Sadducees  put  to  Jesus 
(vs.  23)  ?  (2)*  What  did  they  think  their  question  proved? 
(3)  What  error  did  Jesus  first  point  out  in  their  reason- 
ing (vs.  25)?  (4)  What  does  this  answer  imply  as  to 
the  character  of  Ufe  beyond  the  grave?  (5)  What  was 
Jesus'  second  answer  to  their  question?  (6)  Explain 
the  meaning  of  this  answer.'  (7)*  What  important 
truth  about  the  character  of  God  does  Jesus  teach  in 
this  passage?    (8)*  What  truth  about  the  future  life? 


172     The  Gospel  aocokding  to  Make 


C.    The  Question  about  the  Great  Commandment, 
12:28-34 

And  one  of  the  scribes  came,  and   heard  them  28 
questioning  together,  and  knowing  that  he  had 
answered  them  well,  asked  him.  What  command- 
ment is  the  first  of  all?     Jesus  answered,  The  29 
first  is,  Hear,  O  Israel;  The  Lord  our  God,  the 
Lord  is  one:  and  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  30 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and 
with   all   thy   mind,   and   with   all   thy  strength. 
The  second  is  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  31 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  28,  "what  commandment  is  first  of  all?"  First  in 
importance  the  question  means,  of  course.  This  question 
was  often  discussed.  Vs.  29,  "hear,  O  Israel;  The  Lord 
our  God,  the  Lord  is  one  ":  These  words  Jesus  quotes  from 
Deut.  6  *.  They  were  commonly  regarded  by  the  Jews  as 
the  central  element  of  their  belief,  because  they  expressed 
their  doctrine  that  there  is  one  God  as  over  against 
the  polytheism  and  idolatry  of  the  nations  around  them. 
Every  Jew  was  supposed  to  repeat  these  words  every 
day.  Vs.  30,  "and  thou  shalt  love,"  etc.:  These  words 
are  from  Deut.  6  5,  with  only  slight  variation.  "With 
all  thy  heart,"  etc.:  i.  e.,  completely,  unreservedly.  Vs.  31, 
"  the  second  is  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thy- 
self ":  a  quotation  from  Lev.  19 18,  where,  however,  it  is  not 
assigned  any  such  place  of  importance  as  Jesus  gives  it 
here  by  placing  it  alongside  the  command  to  love  God 
supremely,  and  where  also  "  neighbor "  means  fellow- 
Hebrew,  while  Jesus,  as  Luke  10  27-37  shows,  meant  by  it 
fellow-man.     Luke  10  27  suggests  that  some  even  of  the 


Thkee  Questions  by  Jewish  Ruleks    173 

as  thyself.     There    is   none  other  commandment 

32  greater   than   these.     And   the   scribe  said   unto 

him,  Of  a  truth,  ^Master,  thou  hast  well  said  that  i  Teacher 

33  he  is  one ;  and  there  is  none  other  but  he ;  and  to 
love  him  with  all  the  heart  and  with  all  the 
understanding,  and  with  all  the  strength,  and  to 
love  his  neighbour  as  himself,  is  much  more  than 

34  all  whole  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices.  And 
when  Jesus  saw  that  he  answered  discreetly,  he 
said  unto  him.  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom 

of  God.     And  no  man   after  that  ^  durst  ask  him  2  dared 
any  question. 

scribes  had  learned  to  join  these  two  commands  together. 
Vs.  34,  "not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God":  in  a  state  of 
heart  and  mind  near  akin  to  that  which  makes  one  a  sub- 
ject and  member  of  the  kingdom. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  scribe's  question 
in  vs.  28  ?  (2)*  What  two  passages  of  the  Old  Testament 
does  Jesus  use  in  his  answer?  (3)*  What  does  he  say 
that  is  not  said  in  those  passages?  (4)  Would  all  the 
scribes  have  agreed  to  the  statement  of  Jesus  in  the 
latter  part  of  vs.  31  ?  (5)  Do  you  think  of  any  command 
which  they  ranked  higher  than  loving  one's  neighbor? 
See  Mark  2i6,i7;  31-6.  (6)*  What  is  the  meaning  of 
Jesus'  words  in  vs.  34?  (7)*  Why  did  Jesus  not  say  that 
this  scribe  was  in  the  kingdom  of  God?  What  does 
one  need  beside  a  clear  perception  of  the  truth  to  give 
him  place  in  the  kingdom  of  God?     Cf.  10 1^,  17-22. 


multitude 


SECTION  LII 

JESUS'  QUESTION  CONCERNING  DAVID'S  SON, 
12:35-37 

And  Jesus  answered  and  said,  as  he  taught  in  35 
the  temple,  How  say  the  scribes  that  the  Christ  is 
the  son  of  David  ?     David  himself  said  in  the  36 
Holy  Spirit, 

The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord, 

Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand, 

Till  I  make  thine  enemies  the  footstool  of  thy 
feet. 
David  himself  calleth  him  Lord;  and  whence  is  37 
Or,  the  great  h©  ^is  son  ?     Aud  Hhe  commou  people  heard  him 
gladly. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  35,  "the  Christ"!:  the  Messiah.  Notice  that  the 
statement  refers,  not  to  Jesus  as  a  person,  but  to  the 
Christ,  the  Messiah  predicted  by  the  prophets  and  ex- 
pected by  the  Jews,  whoever  he  might  be.  "  The  son  of 
David":  This  was  a  favorite  name  for  the  Messiah  among 
the  Jews,  and  emphasized  those  qualities  of  the  Messiah, 
as  they  thought  of  him,  in  which  he  was  Hke  David,  the 
(earthly)  king,  the  warrior.  These  were  just  the  qualities 
which  Jesus  did  not  wish  associated  with  the  idea  of  the 
Messiah.  Vs.  36,  "in  the  Holy  Spirit":  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  words  that  follow  are 
from  Ps.  110,  which  was  generally  believed  to  have  been 
written  by  David.  "The  Lord  said":  i.  e.,  Jehovah,  God, 
said.  "Unto  my  Lord":  i.e.,  David's  Lord,  the  Christ. 
Vs.  37,  "David  himself  calleth  him  Lord;  and  whence  is  he 
his  son?"  Jesus  desires  to  show  them  that,  according  to 
174 


Question  concerning  David's  Son        175 

their  own  understanding  of  this  psalm,  the  Messiah  is 
something  more  and  greater  than  the  title  "  son  of  David  '* 
meant  to  them ;  he  is  David's  Lord,  not  simply  his  son, 
another  king  like  David.  If  the  scribes  had  had  a  truer 
idea  of  the  Messiah,  it  would  not  have  been  so  difficult  for 
them  to  see  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  After  answering  the  three  questions  of  the  Jew- 
ish rulers,  what  question  did  Jesus  ask  in  the  temple? 
(2)*  Explain  the  meaning  of  the  question.  Does  it 
refer  to  Jesus  personally,  or  to  the  Christ  as  such? 
(3)*  From  what  Old  Testament  passage  did  Jesus  quote? 
(4)  Whom  does  he  speak  of  as  the  author  of  the  pas- 
sage, and  imder  what  influence  does  he  say  that  he 
uttered  it?  (5)  For  what  purpose  did  he  direct  atten- 
tion to  this  passage?  (6)  What  character  that  the 
scribes  attributed  to  the  Messiah  and  emphasized,  did 
Jesus  wish  to  dissociate  from  the  idea  of  the  Messiah? 
(7)*  What  element  of  the  character  of  the  Messiah  did 
he  wish  to  emphasize?  (8)*  What  made  it  diflScult  for 
the  scribes  to  see  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah?  (9) 
Why  did  Peter  and  the  other  disciples  perceive  this, 
when  the  scribes  failed  to  do  so? 


SECTION  LIII 
WAKNING  AGAINST  THE  SCRIBES,  12:38-40 

And  in  his  teaching  he  said,  Beware  of  the  38 
scribes,  which  desire  to  walk  in  long  robes,  and  to 
have  salutations  in  the  marketplaces,  and  chief  39 
seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  chief  places  at  feasts : 
they  which  devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a  pre-  40 
tence   make    long    prayers ;    these   shall   receive 
greater  condemnation. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  38,  "long  robes":  the  distinctive  garment  of  a 
rabbi;  the  mark  of  a  professor,  as  we  should  perhaps  say. 
Vs.  39,  "chief  seats  in  the  synagogues  ":  the  seats  of  honor, 
probably  located  before  the  ark  that  contained  the  books 
of  scripture  and  facing  the  congregation.  "Chief  places 
at  feasts":  the  places  of  honor  near  the  host.  Cf.  Luke 
14 7-11.  Vs.  40,  "devour  widows'  houses":  i.  e.,  are  so  hard 
on  them  in  money  matters,  perhaps  in  enforcing  the  pay- 
ment of  debts,  or  in  insisting  upon  the  payment  of  tithes, 
etc.,  as  to  "eat  up"  the  little  property  the  poor  women 
had,  even  the  houses  that  sheltered  them. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  does  the  word  "beware"  (vs.  38)  mean? 
(2)  With  what  various  kinds  of  wrong  conduct  does 
Jesus  charge  the  scribes  ?  (3)*  Explain  the  meaning  of 
each  of  the  phrases  in  vss.  38-40,  and  point  out  what 
vice  of  character  is  implied  in  each. 
176 


SECTION  LIV 
THE  WIDOW'S  TWO  MITES,  12:41-44 

41  And  he  sat  down  over  against  the  treasury,  and 
beheld  how  the  multitude  cast  money  into  the 
treasury:  and  many  that  were  rich  cast  in  much. 

42  And  there  came  a  poor  widow,  and  she  cast  in 

43  two  mites,  which  make  a  farthing.  And  he  called 
unto  him  his  disciples,  and  said  unto  them,  Verily 
I  say  unto  you,  This  poor  widow  cast  in  more  than 

44  all  they  which  are  casting  into  the  treasury:  for 
they  all  did  cast  in  ^of  their  superfluity;  but  she  loM^qr 
'  of  her  want  did  cast  in  all  that  she  had,  even  all 

her  living. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  41,  "over  against  the  treasury":  in  the  so-called 
court  of  the  women,  along  the  side  of  which  were  the 
trumpet-shaped  vessels  to  receive  the  gifts  of  the  people. 
"Cast  money  into  the  treasury":  free-will  offerings  for  the 
temple,  probably.  Vs.  42,  "two  mites":  about  equal  to 
two-fifths  of  a  cent,  or  about  one-fortieth  of  a  day's  wages 
of  a  laborer.  Vs.  44,  "of  their  superfluity":  out  of  what 
they  had  over  and  above  their  needs. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Tell  the  story  of  Jesus  and  the  poor  widow  in 
the  temple.     (2)  Explain  the   words   "treasury"  and 
"mites."    (3)*  Is  the  statement  of  Jesus  in  vs.  43  in- 
177 


178     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

tended  to  be  arithmetically  accurate?  If  not,  what  did 
he  mean  by  it?  (4)  What  does  it  show  as  to  the  stand- 
ard by  which  Jesus  measures  the  actions  of  men?  (5) 
Does  the  incident  justify  us  in  thinking  that  Jesus 
would  be  pleased  with  a  trifling  gift  from  one  who  had 
abundance  to  give?  (6)*  What  elements  of  Jesus' 
character  are  seen  in  this  section  and  the  preceding? 

*  REVIEW  QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPS.  11,  12 

(1)  Chaps.  11  and  12  narrate  incidents  which  oc- 
curred in  and  near  Jerusalem  on  three  successive  days 
of  the  last  week  of  Jesus'  life  before  his  crucifixion;  the 
first  of  these  days  was  doubtless  Sunday.  Write  a  list 
of  the  events  of  these  three  days,  in  the  order  in  which 
Mark  relates  them,  distinguishing  the  events  of  each 
day.  (2)  ^jLicarn  the  list  of  the  events  of  each  day.  (3) 
Study  the  events  of  each  day,  and  name  each  day,  if 
you  can,  by  the  characteristic  which  its  events  give  it; 
thus,  Sunday:  a  day  of  ...  . 


A   HALF-SHEKEL 
[From  Madden,  Coins  of  the  Jews.] 


SECTION  LV 

THE  PROPHETIC  DISCOURSE  CONCERNING  THE 
DOWNFALL  OF  THE  TEMPLE  AND  CITY, 
CHAP.  13 

1  And  as  he  went  forth  out  of  the  temple,  one  of 

his  disciples  saith  unto  him,  ^Master,  behold,  what  i  Teacher 
manner  of  stones  and  what  manner  of  buildings ! 

2  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Seest  thou  these  great 
buildings  ?  there  shall  not  be  left  here  one  stone 
upon  another,  which  shall  not  be  thrown  down. 

3  And  as  he  sat  on  the  mount  of  Olives  over 
against  the  temple,  Peter  and  James  and  John 

4  and  Andrew  asked  him  privately.  Tell  us,  when 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

The  whole  of  this  thirteenth  chapter  of  the  gospel  is 
occupied,  after  the  first  four  verses,  which  are  introductory, 
with  a  discourse  of  Jesus  concerning  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  and  associated  woes.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
difficult  to  interpret  of  all  that  are  contained  in  the  gospels. 
The  student  should  get  clearly  before  his  mind  what  the 
question  of  the  disciples  was,  and  then  notice  that  Jesus 
does  not  so  much  answer  this  question  as  warn  them 
against  expecting  these  great  events  too  soon  and  being 
disturbed  and  misled. 

It  will  further  aid  in  understanding  the  chapter  to  notice 
the  parts  into  which  it  naturally  falls:  (1)  Conversation 
about  the  temple  which  led  to  the  discourse,  vss.  1-4.  (2) 
Warning  against  being  misled,  and  enumeration  of  things 
which  the  disciples  must  expect  to  see  and  endure  before 
179 


180     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

shall  these  things  be?  and  what  shall  he  the  sign 
when   these  things  are   all  about  to  be  accom- 
plished ?   And  Jesus  began  to  say  unto  them,  Take  5 
heed  that  no  man  lead  you  astray.     Many  shall  6 
come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am  he;  and  shall  lead 
many  astray.     And  when  ye  shall  hear  of  wars  7 
and   rumours   of   wars,    be   not   troubled:    these 
things  must  needs  come  to  pass ;  but  the  end  is . 
not  yet.     For  nation  shall  rise  against  nation,  and  8 
kingdom  against  kingdom:  there  shall  be  earth- 
2varioiu         quakcs  in  Mlvers  places;  there  shall  be  famines: 
3woe8,distre8s  these  thlugs  are  the  beginning  of  ^travail. 

But  take  ye  heed  to  yourselves:  for  they  shall  9 
deliver  you  up  to  councils;  and  in  synagogues 
shall  ye  be  beaten;    and   before  governors  and 
kings  shall  ye  stand  for  my  sake,  for  a  testimony 

"  the  end  "  comes,  vss.  5-13.  (3)  Events  which  will  indicate 
that  the  downfall  of  the  temple  and  Jewish  nation  is  near 
at  hand,  vss.  14-23.  (4)  The  awful  disasters  which  will 
accompany  the  downfall  of  the  temple  and  nation,  vss.  24- 
27.  (5)  Indications  that  the  Christ's  coming  is  near  at 
hand,  and  exhortations  to  watchfulness,  vss.  28-37. 

Vs.  1,  "out  of  the  temple":  The  word  used  in  the 
Greek  means  the  templet  including  all  its  courts,  etc.,  not 
the  sanctuary  only.  Vs.  2,  "these  great  buildings":  both 
the  temple  building  itself  and  its  courts  and  colonnades. 
"There  shall  not  be  left  here  one  stone  upon  another":  an 
expression  denoting  utter  destruction.  The  prediction 
was  fulfilled  in  the  overthrow  of  the  city  by  the  Romans  in 
70  A.  D.  Vs.  4,  "when  shall  these  things  be,"  etc.:  a  natu- 
ral question,  but  one  to  which,  as  said  above,  Jesus  does 


Downfall  of  Temple  and  City      181 

10  unto  them.    And  the  gospel  must  first  be  preached 

11  unto  all  the  nations.  And  when  they  lead  you  to 
judgment^  and  deliver  you  up,  be  not  anxious  be- 
forehand what  ye  shall  speak:  but  whatsoever 
shall  be  given  you  in  that  hour,  that  speak  ye:  for 

12  it  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Holy*  Ghost.  And  ^spint 
brother  shall  deliver  up  brother  to  death,  and  the 
father  his  child ;  and  children  shall  rise  up  against 

13  parents,  and  ^ cause  them  to  be  put  to  death.    And  tldecah* *^^''' 
ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake: 

but  he  that  endureth  to  the  end,  the  same  shall  be 
saved. 

14  But  when  ye  see  the  abomination  of  desolation 
standing  where  he  ought  not  (let  him  that  readeth 
understand),  then  let  them  that  are  in  Judaea  flee 

15  unto  the  mountains:  and  let  him  that  is  on  the 

not  reply  directly,  his  answer  being  chiefly  a  warning 
against  expecting  immediately  the  events  which  he  pre- 
dicted, and  being  deceived  by  false  leaders  and  events  that 
are  not  signs  of  the  end. 

Vss.  5-13,  Warning  against  being  misled.  Vs.  6,  "in  my 
name,  saying  I  am  he" :  claiming  the  name  of  the  Christ,  and 
professing  to  be  the  Christ.  Vss.  7  and  8  speak  of  general 
disturbances  in  the  world  at  large;  vss.  9-13,  of  sufferings 
and  persecutions  which  the  disciples  themselves  must 
suffer;  but  neither  of  these,  Jesus  says,  show  that  the  end 
has  come.  Vs.  9,  "councils":  Jewish  courts  (as  in  Acts 
4  5,6,15).  "Governors  and  kings":  gentile  rulers,  such  as 
the  governor  of  Roman  provinces  (Acts  18 12),  or  Herod, 
king  of  Judea  (Acts  121).  Vs.  13,  "he  that  endureth  to 
the  end  shall  be  saved":  patient  endurance  to  the  end 
proves  the  genuineness  of  one's  faith. 


182     The  Gospel  according  to  Maek 

housetop  not  go  down,  nor  enter  in,  to  take  any- 
thing out  of  his  house:  and  let  him  that  is  in  the  16 
field  not  return  back  to  take  his  cloke.     But  woe  17 
unto  them  that  are  with  child  and  to  them  that 
give  suck  in  those  days !     And  pray  ye  that  it  be  18 
not  in  the  winter.     For  those  days  shall  be  tribu-  19 
lation,  such  as  there  hath  not  been  the  like  from 
the  beginning  of  the  creation  which  God  created 
until  now,  and  never  shall  be.     And  except  the  20 
Lord  had  shortened  the  days,  no  flesh  would  have 
been  saved:  but  for  the  elect's  sake,  whom  he 
chose,  he  shortened  the  days.     And  then  if  any  21 
man  shall  say  unto  you,  Lo,  here  is  the  Christ ;  or, 
OT.him  Lo,  there;   believe  %Y  not:   for  there  shall  arise  22 

false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  and  shall  shew 
signs  and  wonders,  that  they  may  lead  astray,  if 

Vss.  14-23,  Events  which  will  indicate  that  the  downfall 
of  the  temple  and  of  the  Jewish  nation  is  near  at  hand. 
Vs.  14,  "the  abomination  of  desolation":  The  phrase  is 
taken  from  Dan.  11  31;  12  ii;  1  Mace.  1  54,  in  all  of  which 
places  it  doubtless  refers  to  the  heathen  sacrifices  offered 
on  the  altar  of  the  Jewish  temple  in  the  time  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes.  As  employed  by  Jesus  it  refers  to  any  like 
desecration  of  the  temple  or  perhaps  of  the  city.  Luke  has 
at  this  point  "  Jerusalem  encompassed  with  armies."  The 
parenthesis  "  let  him  that  readeth  understand "  is  a  note 
of  the  evangelist  calling  the  reader's  attention  to  this 
warning;  probably  when  the  gospel  was  written  these 
things  were  already  near.  The  substance  of  the  warning 
is  that,  while  wars  and  disasters  in  general  are  not  to  be 
taken  as  signs  of  the  end,  yet  when  Jerusalem  itself  is 


Downfall  of  Temple  and  City      183 

23    possible,  the  elect.     But  take  ye  heed:  behold,  I 

have  told  you  all  things  beforehand. 
2d  But  in  those  days,  after  that  tribulation,  the 

sun  shall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give 

25  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  be  falling  from 
heaven,  and  the  powers  that  are  in  the  heavens 

26  shall  be  shaken.  And  then  shall  they  see  the  Son 
of  man  coming  in  clouds  with  great  power  and 

27  glory.  And  then  shall  he  send  forth  the  angels, 
and  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds, 
from  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth  to  the  utter- 
most part  of  heaven. 

28  Now  from  the  fig  tree  learn  her  parable :  when 
her  branch  is  now  become  tender,  and  putteth 
forth  its  leaves,  ye  know  that  the  summer  is  nigh ; 

29  even  so  ye  also,  when  ye  see  these  things  coming 


actually  invaded  (or  besieged),  then  they  may  know  that 
the  downfall  of  the  city  is  near,  and  that  they  must  flee. 
Vss.  15, 16  mean  simply:  "  Go  without  delay."  Vs.  19:  The 
sufferings  of  the  Jewish  nation  in  the  siege  of  A.  D.  70  were 
terrible  beyond  behef.  Vs.  20,  "except  the  Lord  had 
shortened  the  days":  unless  God  had  limited  the  period 
of  disaster,  no  one  would  escape.  Vss.  21-23:  Not  even 
then  they  are  to  expect  the  Christ  to  return.  Anyone 
who  announces  his  return  is  a  false  prophet  announcing  a 
false  Christ. 

Vss.  24-27  speak  of  the  awful  disasters  to  the  nation 
which  will  follow  the  overthrow  of  the  city,  and  of  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  power.  The  language  is  highly  figura- 
tive, closely  resembling  that  which  the  prophets  often  used 
to  describe  similar  events.     On  vss.  24,  25  see  Isa.  13  lO; 


184     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

to  pass,  know  ye  that  ^he  is  nigh,  even  at  the 
doors.     Verily  I  say  unto   you,  This  generation  30 
shall  not  pass  away,  until  all  these  things  be  ac- 
complished.    Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away:  31 
but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away.     But  of  that  32 
day  or  that  hour  knoweth  no  one,  not  even  the 
angels  in  heaven,  neither  the  Son,  but  the  Father. 
Take  ye  heed,  watch  and  pray:  for  ye  know  not  33 
when  the  time  is.     It  is  as  when  a  man,  sojourn-  34 
ing  in  another  country,  having  left  his  house,  and 
given  authority  to  his  servants,  to  each  one  his 
work,  commanded  also  the  porter  to  watch.    Watch  35 
therefore:  for  ye  know  not  when  the  lord  of  the 
house  cometh,  whether  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or 
at  cockcrowing,  or  in  the  morning;  lest  coming  35 
suddenly  he  find  you  sleeping.     And  what  I  say  3r^ 
unto  you  I  say  unto  all,  Watch. 

34  4;  Ezek.  32  7, 8;  Am.  8  9.  On  vs.  26  see  especially  Dan. 
7  13.  Jesus  probably  thought  (vss.  26,  27),  of  his  coming  in 
the  establishment  of  his  kingdom,  rather  than  of  a  visible 
appearance. 

Vss.  28-37  speak  of  the  indications  of  the  coming 
of  Christ.  Vss.  28,  29  tell  the  disciples  that  when  they  see 
the  momentous  events  of  which  he  has  spoken  (as  in 
vss.  25,  26),  then  they  may  know  that  Christ  is  drawing 
near.  Vs.  30  says,  and  vs.  31  solemnly  confirms  it,  that  all 
these  things  will  happen  within  the  space  of  a  generation, 
i.  e.,  within  the  lifetime  of  men  then  living.  Vs.  32  affirms, 
however,  that  the  exact  time  no  one  knows,  not  even  Jesus 
himself,  but  only  God.  Vss.  33-37  bid  them  therefore 
be  on  their  guard,  watching  and  praying,  always  ready,  yet 
not  idly  waiting,  but  each  at  his  own  work. 


Downfall  op  Temple  and  City      185 

As  a  whole,  therefore,  the  discourse  gives  no  definite 
answer  to  the  question  of  the  disciples,  except  that  all 
these  things  would  happen  within  the  lifetime  of  men  then 
living,  and  that  the  sign  of  their  approach  would  be  the 
desecration  of  the  temple,  as,  for  example,  by  gentile 
armies.  It  speaks  of  things  that  will  precede  the  downfall 
of  Judaism  and  the  establishment  of  Christianity  in  power 
on  the  earth,  and  its  general  aim  is  to  warn  the  disciples 
against  expecting  these  events  too  soon  or  looking  for  a 
personal  return  of  Jesus  in  connection  with  them. 


QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  prediction  did  Jesus  make  concerning  the 
temple  when  his  disciples  called  attention  to  it  ?  (2)  To 
what  did  he  refer — the  sanctuary  proper,  or  the  temple 
with  its  courts  and  colonnades?  (3)*  When  and  how 
was  this  prediction  fulfilled?  (4)*  Where  was  the 
conversation  related  in  this  chapter,  beginning  with 
vs. 3,  held?  Describe  the  situation,  telling,  on  which 
side  of  the  city  the  temple  was;  in  what  direction  the 
Mount  of  Olives  lay;  what  valley  lay  between  the  temple 
and  the  mount.  (5)  What  question  did  the  disciples  ask 
(vss.  3,  4)?  To  what  does  "these  things"  in  their 
question  refer?  (6)*  Against  what  does  Jesus  put  his 
disciples  on  their  guard  in  vss.  5,  6?  (7)  What  does  he 
say  in  vss.  7,  8  will  happen  in  the  world  at  large  before 
the  end  {i.e.,  of  the  nation,  see  vs.  2)  comes?  (8)* 
What  great  trials  does  he  tell  the  disciples  in  vss.  9-13 
they  themselves  must  endure?  Give  some  examples  of 
the  fulfilment  of  this  prediction.  (9)  Does  Jesus  expect 
that  the  persecution  of  his  followers  will  prevent  the 
spread  of  the  gospel  through  the  world  ?  See  vs.  9. 
(10)  Does  vs.  11  mean  that  no  one  should  ever  prepare 
to  speak  for  Jesus,  or  that  the  disciples  are  not  to  be 


186     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

anxious  when  summoned  before  courts?  (11)  What 
does  Jesus  in  vs.  13  teach  them  to  do  in  reference  to 
these  trials  and  what  promise  does  he  give  them  ?  (12) 
We  are  living  in  a  very  different  age  of  the  world  from 
that  in  which  the  disciples  were  living.  Is  it  possible 
for  us  to  apply  directly  to  ourselves  all  the  things  that 
Jesus  said  to  the  disciples  ?  (13)  To  what  do  we  owe  the 
fact  that  we  live  under  so  much  more  favorable  condi- 
tions than  the  early  disciples?  (14)  Do  the  words  of 
Jesus  in  these  verses  suggest  any  general  principles 
which  we  may  still  apply  to  ourselves?  (15)*  What  does 
Jesus  tell  his  disciples  to  regard  as  a  sign  that  the  time 
had  come  for  them  to  flee  from  Jerusalem  ?  What  does 
the  expression.  "  abomination  of  desolation "  probably 
mean?  What  do  vss.  15,  16  imply  as  to  the  need  of 
haste?  (16)  What  does  Jesus  say  of  the  afflictions 
which  at  this  time  will  come  upon  the  Jewish  nation 
(vss.  17-20)?  (17)*  By  whom  in  particular  does  Jesus 
warn  the  disciples,  in  vss.  21-23,  not  to  be  misled  at  this 
time?  (18)  What  still  greater  portents  does  Jesus  say 
will  follow  "in  those  days"  (vss.  24-27)?  Upon  whom 
were  the  disasters,  thus  figuratively  described,  to  fall? 
(19)  W^hen  all  these  things  happen,  what  does  Jesus 
then  say  the  disciples  may  infer  to  be  near  (vs.  39;  c/. 
vs.  26,  and  notes)?  (20)  Within  what  time  does  Jesus 
say  all  these  things  are  to  happen  (vs.  30)?  (21)  Who 
alone  knew  the  exact  time?  (22)  What  great  practical 
lesson  did  Jesus  teach  his  disciples  in  view  of  the 
coming  disasters  and  the  uncertainty  of  their  time  (vss. 
33-37)?  (23)  Does  watching  mean  sitting  idly  looking 
out  of  the  window,  or  keeping  faithfully  at  our  work? 
See  vs.  34.  (24)  What  is  the  spirit  in  which  we  should 
look  toward,  and  go  forward  into,  the  unknown  future? 


SECTION  LVI 

THE  PLOT  OP  THE  JEWS,  14  : 1,  2 
Now  after  two  days  was  ihe  feast  of  the  pass- 
over  and  the  unleavened  bread:  and  the  chief 
priests  and  the  scribes  sought  how  they  might 
take  him  with  subtilty,  and  kill  him:  for  they 
said,  Not  during  the  feast,  lest  haply  there  shall 
be  a  tumult  of  the  people. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "after  two  days  was  the  passoverl  and  the 
unleavened  bread":  Mark  gives  the  names  of  the  two 
feasts  that  occurred  together  in  the  same  week.  Since 
it  appears  from  15  '12  that  Jesus  was  crucified  on  Friday, 
and  from  15  1  that  this  was  the  day  after  the  night  in 
which  the  passover  was  eaten,  the  day  referred  to  in  this 
expression  must  have  been  Tuesday.  "With  subtilty": 
Not  openly,  but  secretly  and  treacherously.  Vs.  2,  "for 
they  said.  Not  during  the  feast" :  The  plans  of  the  Sanhedrin 
were  apparently  changed  by  the  offer  of  Judas.  With  his 
aid,  they  were  able  to  do  what  they  had  thought  to  be 
impossible,  viz.,  to  arrest  Jesus  during  the  feast  without 
causing  a  great  disturbance  among  the  people. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)*  Where  and  how  was  the  feast  of  the  passover 
and  of  unleavened  bread  celebrated  ?  By  each  family, 
at  home,  or  in  Jerusalem  ?  How  long  did  it  last  ?  (2) 
In  what  way  did  the  leaders  of  the  people  wish  to  put 
Jesus  to  death  ?  (3)  Why  did  they  wish  to  do  it  in  this 
way?  (4)  How  and  why  did  they  afterward  change 
their  plan  ? 

187 


SECTION  LVII 

THE  ANOINTING  IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  SIMON  THE 
LEPER,  14 : 3-9 

And  while  he  was  in  Bethany  in  the  house  of  s 
Simon  the  leper,  as  he  sat  at  meat,  there  came  a 
iot,  aflask  woman  having  ^an  alabaster  cruse  of  ointment  of 
spikenard  very  costly;  and  she  brake  the  cruse, 
and  poured  it  over  his  head.  But  there  were  some  4 
that  had  indignation  among  themselves,  saying, 
To  what  purpose  hath  this  waste  of  the  ointment 
been  made?     For  this  ointment  might  have  been  5 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  3,  "in  Bethany t  in  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper": 
Of  this  man  we  know  only  what  is  told  here.  John  12  2 
suggests  that  he  was  perhaps  a  relative  of  Mary  and 
Martha.  "A  woman":  see  John  12 3.  "Alabaster":  a  soft 
limestone,  resembling  onyx  and  easily  cut  into  various 
shapes.  "Spikenard"!:  a  fragrant  oil.  Vs.  6,  "pence" : 
dsnarii:  see  note  on  6  :37.  Vs.  8,  "  anointed  my  body  afore- 
hand  for  the  burying":   c/.  John  1939. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)  Read  vss.  3-9  carefully,  considering  the  meaning 
of  each  word  and  phrase,  and  tell  the  story.  The  les- 
son taught  by  this  incident  is  a  very  important  one,  but 
not  always  clearly  understood.  Consider  carefully  the 
following  questions:  (2)*  What  was  it  in  the  woman's 
action  which  Jesus  approved?  (3)  What  was  it  in  the 
attitude  of  the  disciples  that  he  disapproved?  (4)*  Did 
he  disapprove  of  giving  to  the  poor,  or  of  their  fault- 
188 


Anointing  in  the  House  of  Simon        189 

sold  for  above  three  hundred  pence,^  and  given  to  2  denarH: 

6  the  poor.  And  they  murmured  against  her.  But 
Jesus  said,  Let  her  alone;  why  trouble  ye  her? 

7  she  hath  wrought  a  good  work  on  me.  For  ye 
have  the  poor  always  with  you,  and  whensoever  ye 
will  ye  can  do  them  good:  but  me  ye  have  not 

8  always.     She  hath  done  what  she  could :  she  hath 

9  anointed  my  body  aforehand  for  the  burying.  And 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  Wheresoever  the  gospel 
shall  be  preached  throughout  the  whole  world, 
that  also  which  this  woman  hath  done  shall  be 
spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of  hsr. 


finding  and  failure  to  appreciate  what  was  good  and 
beautiful  in  the  woman's  act?  (5)*  Rememering  Matt. 
25  *o,  do  you  judge  that  Jesus  would  have  acted  just  as 
he  did  in  this  case,  if  the  woman  had  given  generously 
to  the  poor,  and  the  disciples  had  found  fault  with  her 
for  extravagance?  Give  a  reason  for  your  answer.  (6) 
Does  Jesus  say  that  the  woman  had  necessarily  made 
the  wisest  use  of  the  300  denarii — as  good  as  $300  today 
— or  does  he  commend  her  spirit,  in  contrast  with  the 
censoriousness  of  the  disciples?  (7)  Do  you  judge  that 
he  disapproved  of  discretion  and  would  always  have  us 
act  from  impulse?  (8)  If  one  must  choose,  which  is 
better,  to  follow  noble  impulses  at  the  sacrifice  of  dis- 
cretion, or  to  be  discreet  at  the  sacrifice  of  noble 
impulses  ?  (9)  Is  there  such  a  thing  as  a  noble  reck- 
lessness ? 


SECTION  LVIII 
THE  BAKGAIN  WITH  JUDAS,  14  :10, 11 
And  Judas  Iscariot,  he  that  was  one  of  the  10 
twelve,  went  away  unto  the  chief  priests,  that  he 
might  deliver  him  unto  them.     And  they,  when  1] 
they  heard  it,  were  glad,  and  promised  to  give  him 
money.     And  he  sought  how  he  might  conven- 
iently deliver  him  unto  them. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  10,  "Judas  Iscariot":  or  Judas,  the  inhabitant  of 
Kerioth  (in  Judea).  He  was  probably  the  only  one  of  the 
twelve  apostles  who  was  not  an  inhabitant  of  Galilee. 
"Went  away  unto  the  chief  priests  that  he  might  deliver 
him  unto  them":  John  tells  of  Judas  being  covetous  and 
dishonest  (124-6).  It  is  likely  that  besides  this  he  was  dis- 
appointed when  he  found  that  Jesus  was  not  going  to 
establish  a  political  kingdom,  such  as  he  supposed  the 
Messiah  would  establish,  giving  him,  as  one  of  his  followers, 
a  place  of  honor  in  it.  Matthew  says  that  Judas  received 
for  his  work  thirty  shekels,  the  ordinary  price  of  a  slave, 
which  was  equal  to  about  $20,  but  would  buy  in  Pales- 
tine much  more  than  $.0  can  buy  in  our  country. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)  From  what  part  of  Palestine  did  Judas  come? 
(2)*  How  do  you  explain  the  fact  that  Judas,  one  of 
the  disciples  of  Jesus,  was  willing  to  betray  him?  (3) 
What  serious  warning  is  there  in  this  fact  ?  (4)  Why 
did  Judas  make  this  bargain  with  the  chief  piHests'i 
(5)*  How  long  had  the  priests  been  opposed  to  Jesus  ? 
190 


SECTION  LIX 

THE  LAST  PASSOVER  OF  JESUS  AND  HIS 
DISCIPLES,  14: 12-26 

12  And  on  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread,  when 
they  sacrificed  the  passover,  his  disciples  say  unto 
him,  Where  wilt  thou  that  we  go  and  make  ready 

13  that  thou  may  est  eat  the  passover  ?  And  he  send- 
eth  two  of  his  disciples,  and  saith  unto  them.  Go 
into  the  city,  and  there  shall  meet  you  a  man 

14  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water:  follow  him;  and 
wheresoever  he  shall  enter  in,  say  to  the  goodman 
of  the  house.  The  ^Master  saith,  Where  is  my 
guest-chamber,   where    I   shall   eat  the  passover 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  12,  "on  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread,  when 
they  sacrificed,"  etc.:  See  notes  on  vs.  1  and  cf.  Exod.  12  6; 
Lev.  23  5;  Numb.  9  3.  "Where  wilt  thou  that  we  go  and  make 
ready,"  etc.:  A  brotherhood  like  that  of  the  disciples  would 
naturally,  as  a  family,  eat  the  passover  lamb  together.  Vs. 
14,  "the  goodman  of  the  house":  or,  as  we  should  say,  the 
man  of  the  house.  "Where  is  my  guest-chamber?"  The 
use  of  the  term  "mi/  guest-chamber"  clearly  indicates  that 
he  had  had  some  previous  understanding  with  the  owner 
of  the  house.  Probably  the  bearing  of  a  pitcher  of  water, 
ordinarily  the  work  of  a  woman,  had  been  agreed  upon  as 
the  sign  of  recognition.  It  has  been  thought  by  some  that 
this  unknown  host  was  the  father  of  John  Mark,  the  evan- 
gelist (c/.  Acts  1212).  Vs.  15,  "a  large  upper  room":  see 
article  "  House  "  in  dictionary.  Vs.  16,  "  made  ready  the 
passover  " :  the  lamb,  which  had  to  be  selected  the  tenth  of 
191 


192     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

with  my  disciples  ?     And  he  will  himself  shew  you  15 
a  large  upper  room  furnished  and  ready :  and  there 
make  ready  for  us.     And  the  disciples  went  forth,   16 
and  came  into  the  city,  and  found  as  he  had  said 
unto  them:  and  they  made  ready  the  passover. 

And  when  it  was  evening  he  cometh  with  the  17 
twelve.     And  as  they  sat  and  were  eating,  Jesus  18 
said.   Verily  I  say  unto  you,   One  of  you   shall 
betray  me,  even  he  that  eateth  with   me.     They  19 
began  to  be  sorrowful,  and  to  say  unto  him  one 
by  one,  Is  it  I?    And  he  said  unto  them,  It  is  one  20 
of  the  twelve,  he  that  dippeth  with  me  in  the  dish. 
For  the  Son  of  man  goeth,  even  as  it  is  written  of  21 
him:  but  woe  unto  that  man  through  whom  the 

Nisan,  was  on  the  afternoon  of  the  fourteenth  taken  to  the 
temple  and  slain  by  a  priest.  On  the  more  ancient  custom 
see  Exod.  126.  Vs.  20,  "he  that  dippeth  with  me  in  the 
dish":  The  passover  lamb  was  eaten  with  unleavened 
bread,  and  a  sauce  made  of  figs,  dates,  almonds,  spice,  and 
vinegar.  It  is  the  dish  that  contained  this  sauce  to  which 
Jesus  refers.  Vs.  22,  "he  took  bread":  The  unleavened 
bread  of  the  passover  was  doubtless  in  thin  cakes.  See 
illustration  p.  105.  It  is  one  of  these  that  Jesus  took  and 
broke.  "This  is  my  body  ":  i.  e.,  it  represents  my  body,  as 
today  we  say  looking  at  a  picture, "  This  is  my  father."  Vs. 
24,  "this  is  my  blood  of  the  covenant":  The  word  "cove- 
nant "  is  probably  intended  to  remind  the  disciples  of  the 
covenant  of  Exod.  243-8.  The  blood  sprinkled  on  the  altar 
and  on  the  people  symbolized  the  covenant  of  peace 
between  God  and  the  people,  they  agreeing  to  obey  him 
and  he  accepting  them.  So  Jesus  shed  his  blood  —  gave- 
his  life  —  that  through  the  shedding  of  it  men  might  be 


The  Last  Passover  193 

Son  of  man  is  betrayed!  good  were  it  for  that  man 
if  he  had  not  been  born. 

22  And  as  they  were  eating,  he  took  bread,  and 
when  he  had  blessed,  he  brake  it,  and  gave  to 

23  them,  and  said.  Take  ye :  this  is  my  body.  And 
he  took  a  cup,  and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he 

24  gave  to  them:  and  they  all  drank  of  it.  And  he 
said  unto  them.  This  is  my  blood  of  the  covenant, 

25  which  is  shed  for  many.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
I  will  no  more  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine,  until 
that  day  when  I  drink  it  new  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

26  And  when  they  had  sung  a  hymn,  they  went 
out  unto  the  mount  of  Olives. 

brought  into  fellowship  and  peace  with  God.  Vs.  25,  "  I 
shall  no  more  drink,"  etc.:  His  death  is  near  at  hand,  and 
this  is  his  last  passover  with  his  disciples.  "  Drink  it  new 
in  the  kingdom  of  God  ":  have  fellowship  with  the  disciples 
in  a  new  way,  but  with  the  same  significance  which  this 
meal  had.  Jesus  looked  upon  his  death  as  a  means  of 
bringing  men  into  fellowship  with  God,  and  he  expected 
death,  not  to  sever  his  relations  with  his  disciples,  but  only 
to  change  the  form  of  their  intercourse.  Vs.  2G,  '  a  hymn  ": 
The  passover  feast  closed  with  the  chanting  of  Pss,  115-18. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)*  How  many  days  did  the  feast  of  the  passover 
and  of  unleavened  bread  continue?  See  Deut.  161-'^, 
On  what  day  of  the  month  was  the  lamb  sacrificed?  See 
Exod.  126.  (2)*  Where  and  by  whom  was  the  pass- 
over,  i.  e.,  the  passover  lamb,  sacrificed?     Was  this  the 


194     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

original  custom?  See  Exod.12  6.  (3)*  Was  the  pass- 
over  eaten  on  the  same  day  on  which  it  was  sacrificed  or 
later?  See  Exod.  12  8.  Remember  that  according  to 
Jewish  reckoning  the  day  ended  at  sunset.  (4)*  Who 
and  how  many  were  accustomed  to  unite  in  eating  the 
passover  together?  See  Exod.  12  3, 4.  Who  constituted 
the  "household"  in  this  instance?  (5)  Where  had 
Jesus  planned  that  his  "household"  should  eat  the 
passover?  (6)  How  did  he  identify  for  the  disciples 
the  man  in  whose  house  they  were  to  eat  the  passover? 
(7)*  What  sad  prediction  did  Jesus  make  to  his  dis- 
ciples, as  they  were  eating?  (8)  What  does  vs.  21 
mean?  (9)*  What  further  most  significant  thing  did 
Jesus  do  as  they  were  eating?  Tell  the  story,  vss.  22-25. 
(10)  What  did  Jesus  mean  by  the  words,  "This  is  my 
body  "  ?  Think  carefully  of  all  the  circumstances,  and 
try  to  determine  for  yourself  what  you  would  have 
understood  these  words  to  mean  if  you  had  been  of  the 
company  around  the  table.  (11)  What  did  Jesus  mean 
by  the  words  of  vs.  24?  (12)  What  does  vs.  25  imply 
as  to  a  coming  separation  between  Jesus  and  his  dis- 
ciples? W^hat  does  it  imply  as  to  a  future  reunion? 
Does  the  "  drinking  it  new  "  refer,  in  Jesus'  mind,  to  an 
actual  drinking  of  wine  or  to  the  new  spiritual  fellow- 
ship in  the  kingdom  which  after  his  death  he  would 
establish?  (13)  In  view  of  vss.  23-25,  of  what  great 
truths  ought  the  "Lord's  Supper"  to  remind  us?  (14) 
With  what  did  this  meeting  in  the  upper  room  close? 


SECTION  LX 
PREDICTION  OF  PETER'S  DENIAL,  14:27-31 

27  And  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  All  ye  shall  be 
offended:  for  it  is  written,  I  will  smite  the  shep-   ^Swl'" 

herd,    and  the  sheep  shall  be  scattered  abroad. 

28  Howbeit,  after  I  am  raised  up,  I  will  go  before  you 

29  into  Galilee.      But  Peter  said  unto  him,  Although 

30  all  shall  be  ^offended,  yet  will  not  I.  And  Jesus 
saith  unto  him,  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  that  thou 
to-day,  even  this  night,  before  the  cock  crow  twice, 

31  shalt  deny  me  thrice.  But  he  spake  exceeding 
vehemently.  If  I  must  die  with  thee,  I  will  not 
deny  thee.     And  in  like  manner  also  said  they  all. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  27,  "offended":  see  note  on  "stumble  "  in  dictionary. 
Vs.  28,  "after  I  am  raised  up":  see  831;  16  6.  "I  will  go 
before  you  into  Galilee":  see  166,7.  Vs.  30,  "before  the 
cock  crow  twice":  As  the  cocks  usually  crow  about  mid- 
night and  again  at  early  dawn,  this  is  equivalent  to  saying, 
"  tonight,  before  day  breaks  again." 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  does  the  word  "  offended  "  in  vs.  27  mean  ? 
(2)*  To  what  event  do  the  words  "raised  up"  in  vs.  28 
refer?  (3)  What  does  the  expression  "before  the  cock 
crow  twice"  in  vs.  30  mean?  What  expression  should 
we  use  instead  of  it  today?  (4)  What  kind  of  feeling 
do  the  words  of  Peter  in  vss.  29,  31  express?  Was  it 
right  or  wrong? 

195 


SECTION  LXI 
THE  AGONY  IN  GETHSEMANE,  14 :  32-42 

And  they  come  unto  a  place  which  was  named    32 
Gethsemane:  and  he  saith  unto  his  disciples,  Sit 
ye  here,  while  I  pray.     And  he  taketh  with  him    33 
Peter   and   James  and    John,   and  began   to  be 
greatly  amazed,  and  sore  troubled.     And  he  saith    34 
unto  them.  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful  even 


'f..,^ 

--!i 


'piiife 


THE  GARDEN   OF   GETHSEMANE 


196 


The  Agony  in  Gethsemane         197 

35  unto  death:  abide  ye  here,  and  watch.  And  he 
went  forward  a  little,  and  fell  on  the  ground,  and 
prayed  that,  if  it  were  possible,  the   hour  might 

36  pass  away  from  him.  And  he  said,  Abba,  Father, 
all  things  are  possible  unto  thee ;  remove  this  cup 
from  me:  howbeit  not  what  I  will,  but  what  thou 

37  wilt.  And  he  cometh,  and  findeth  them  sleeping, 
and    saith    unto    Peter,    Simon,    sleepest    thou? 

38  couldest  thou  not  watch  one  hour?  Watch  and 
pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation :  th^  spirit 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

The  agony  in  Gethsemane  is  one  of  those  events  in  the 
life  of  Jesus  that  call  for  meditation  rather  than  explana- 
tion. What  is  true  of  his  whole  life  is  here  peculiarly  true, 
that  all  our  study  of  details  is  of  little  value  unless  it 
bring  us  into  an  intelligent  sympathy  with  him  and  appre- 
ciation of  his  motives  and  of  himself.  Vs.  32, "  a  place  which 
was  named  Gethsemane":  an  estate  known  as  Gethsem- 
ane, or  "  the  oil  press."  Its  precise  location  is  unknown. 
The  traditional  site  is  in  a  grove  of  very  ancient  olive  trees 
on  the  western  slope  of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  just  above  the 
valley  of  the  'Kedron.  See  the  map  on  p.  151.  "  While  I 
pray":  As  at  other  times,  but  now  especially,  Jesus  feels 
the  need  of  communion  with  his  Father  in  heaven.  Vs. 
33,  "amazed":  rather,  terrified,  appalled.  Though  Jesus 
had  for  months  foreseen  that  he  must  die  a  violent  death, 
and  had  gone  resolutely  forward  to  meet  it,  yet  now,  as  he 
comes  face  to  face  with  that  death,  rejected  by  his  nation, 
and  betrayed  by  one  of  his  own  disciples,  it  becomes  inex- 
pressibly painful  and  dreadful.  Vs.  34,  "my  soul  is 
exceeding  sorrowful  even  unto  death":  my  grief  is  so 
great  that   it  threatens  to  kill  me.     There  is  no  need  to 


198     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak.  And 
again  he  went  away,  and  prayed,  saying  the  same 
words.  And  again  he  came,  and  found  them 
sleeping,  for  their  eyes  were  very  heavy ;  and  they 
^wist  not  what  to  answer  him.  And  he  cometh 
the  third  time,  and  saith  unto  them.  Sleep  on 
now,  and  take  your  rest :  it  is  enough ;  the  hour  is 
come;  behold,  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed  into 
the  hands  of  sinners.  Arise,  let  us  be  going: 
behold,  he  that  betrayeth  me  is  at  hand. 


think  that  there  was  any  hyperbole  or  exaggeration  in 
this  language.  Vs.  35,  "the  hour";  Vs.  36,  "this  cup": 
Both  expressions,  the  hour  and  the  cup,  refer  to  his  ap- 
proaching death  with  all  that  was  connected  with  it;  not 
especially,  we  must  believe,  the  pain  of  dying,  even  the 
death  on  the  cross,  but  the  grief  of  having  his  own  people 
and  nation  reject  him,  whom  God  had  sent  to  them  to  be 
their  Savior  from  sin.  "Not  what  I  will":  Jesus  in  his 
agony  could  yet  trust  God  as  Father  (notice  also  the  words 
at  the  beginning  of  the  verse,  "Abbat,  Father"),  and  believe 
his  will  to  be  loving.  Here  is  the  true  model  prayer.  Vs.  37: 
Compare  the  boast  of  Peter  only  a  few  hours  before.  Vs. 
39,  "prayed,  saying  the  same  words":  not  in  mere  idle 
repetition,  as  we  sometimes  do,  but  having  one  all-absorbing 
desire,  which  could  but  express  itself  again  and  again  in 
the  same  words.  Vs.  41,  "sleep  on  now,"  etc.:  rather  an 
expression  of  surprise  than  a  command:  "You  are,  then, 
sleeping  and  resting! "  While  Jesus  had  been  struggling 
in  agony,  they  had  not  even  given  him  the  help  and 
sympathy  of  keeping  awake. 


The  Agony  in  Gethsemane         199 

QUESTIONS 
(1)  What  was  Gethsemane,  and  where  was  it?  (2) 
Read  vss.  33-42  carefully,  and  tell  the  story  of  Gethsem- 
ane. (3)*  On  what  previous  occasions  had  Jesus 
taken  Peter,  James,  and  John  only  with  him?  (4)  Why 
did  he  select  these  three?  (5)*  What  was  it  that 
caused  Jesus  to  be  amazed  (appalled)  and  sore  troubled 
(vs.  33)?  (6)  What  does  the  expression  "exceeding 
sorrowful  even  unto  death"  (vs.  34)  mean,  and  what 
made  Jesus  thus  sorrowful?  (7)  What  was  the  "hour  " 
(vs.  35)  and  the  "cup"  (vs.  36)  that  Jesus  so  desired  to 
escape?  (8)  Had  Jesus  foreseen  his  death  for  some 
time?  See  831;  9  31;  1032-34.  (9)  Had  the  thought  of 
rejection  and  death  been  terrible  to  him  from  the  first  ? 
See  8  32, 33;  10  32-34^  and  the  questions  on  8  32.  (10)  Was 
it  a  weakness  in  him  that  he  dreaded  thus  to  die? 
(11)*  Was  it  merely  dying  that  he  dreaded?  If  not, 
what  was  it?  (12)*  What  does  the  word  "Abba" 
mean,  and  what  spirit  does  Jesus  show  in  the  words  of 
vs.  36?  (13)*  What  does  the  fact  that  Jesus  prayed 
the  same  prayer  three  times  over  show?  (14)  Was 
Jesus'  prayer  answered  in  the  removal  of  the  "cup"? 
If  not,  how  was  it  answered?  (15)  What  element  of 
Jesus'  prayer  ought  to  be  in  every  prayer  of  ours? 
(16)  What  is  the  best  answer,  either  in  words  or 
in  thought,  to  our  prayer,  that  God  can  give  us — to  do 
the  precise  thing  we  ask,  or  to  do  what  is  according  to 
his  will,  and  to  prepare  us  for  that?  (17)  What  strong 
reasons  were  there  why  the  disciples  should  have  kept 
awake,  "watching  and  praying"?  (18)  What  spirit 
does  Jesus  show  toward  the  disciples  in  his  words  in 
vs.  38  and  vs.  41  ?  (19)  Think  over  and  read  this  whole 
narrative,  and  consider  what  it  shows  about  the 
character  of  Jesus. 


1  sticks  or 
clubs 


SECTION  LXII 
THE  BETRAYAL  AND  ARREST,  14  :  43-52 

And  straightway,  while  he  yet  spake,  cometh 
Judas,  one  of  the  twelve,  and  with  him  a  multi- 
tude with  swords  and  ^staves,  from  the  chief 
priests  and  the  scribes  and  the  elders.  Now  he 
that  betrayed  him  had  given  them  a  token,  say- 
ing. Whomsoever  I  shall  kissj  that  is  he;  take 
him,  and  lead  him  away  safely.  And  when  he 
was  come,  straightw^ay  he  came  to  him,  and  saith. 
Rabbi;  and  kissed  him.       And   they  laid   hands 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  43,  "the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes  and  the 
elders":  i.  e.,  probably,  the  Sanhedrin.  Vs.  45,  "  and  saith 
Rabbi;  and  kissed  him":  professing  reverence  (Rabbi  was 
a  title  of  high  honor)  and  affection,  he  in  the  same  instant 
betrayed  him  to  his  enemies.  Vs.  47,  "a  certain  one  of 
them":  cf.  John  1810.  Vs.  49,  "that  the  scriptures  might 
be  fulfilled":  that  he  might  accomplish  that  work  of  suffer- 
ing for  others,  the  righteous  for  the  wicked,  which  the 
scriptures  set  forth  as  the  mission  of  the  Servant  of  the 
Lord.  These  words  show  how  thoroughly  Jesus  recognized 
such  suffering  as  a  part  of  his  mission.    Cf.  Luke  24  25-27, 44, 45. 

Vs.  51.  This  young  man  is  generally  supposed  to  have 
been  the  evangelist  Mark. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Read  carefully  the  story  of  the  arrest  of  Jesus 
(vss.  47-50).    (2)  Who  were  with  Judas?     (3)  By  what 
200 


The  Betrayal  and  Arrest    201 

47  on  him,  and  took  him.  But  a  certain  one  of  them 
that  stood  by  drew  his  sword,  and  smote  the  ser- 
vant of  the   high   priest,  and  struck  off   his  ear. 

48  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Are  ye 
come  out,  as  against  a  robber,  with   swords   and 

49  ^staves  to  seize  me?  I  was  daily  with  you  in  the 
temple  teaching,  and  ye  took  me  not:  but  this  is 

50  done  that  the  scriptures  might  be  fulfilled.  And 
they  all  left  him,  and  fled. 

51  And  a  certain  young  man  followed  with  him, 
liaving   a   linen   cloth   cast   about   him,   over   liis 

52  naked  body :  and  they  laid  hold  on  him ;  but  he 
left  the  linen  cloth,  and  fled  naked. 

token  did  Judas  point  out  Jesus  to  the  officers  f  (4)* 
What  made  his  act  peculiarly  despicable?  (5)*  In  what 
words  did  Jesus  protest  against  his  arrest  ?  (6)*  Why 
did  he  submit  to  arrest?  (7)  What  do  his  words  in  vs. 
49  mean,  and  what  do  they  show  as  to  Jesus'  thought 
about  his  work? 

(8)  Who  has  the  young  man  mentioned  in  vss.  51, 
52  been  supposed  to  be? 


SECTION  LXIII 

THE  TRIAL  BEFORE  THE  JEWISH  AUTHORITIES, 
14 : 53-65 

And  they  led  Jesus  away  to  the  high  priest:  53 
and  there  come  together  with  him  all  the  chief 
priests  and  the  elders  and  the  scribes.     And  Peter  54 
had   followed  him  afar  off,  even  within,  into  the 
court  of  the  high  priest;  and  he  was  sitting  with 
the  officers,  and  warming  himself  in  the  light  of 
the  fire.     Now  the  chief  priests  and  the  whole  55 
council  sought  witness  against  Jesus  to  put  him  to 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  53,  "the  high  priest":  named  Caiaphas,  as  Matt. 
2657  shows.  "All  the  chief  priests,"  etc.:  i.e.,  the  entire 
Sanhedrin.  Vs.  55,  "  sought  witness  ":  In  Jewish  courts  it 
was  necessary  that  at  least  two  witnesses  should  agree  in 
the  testimony  they  gave  in  order  to  frame  an  indictment; 
if  their  testimony  did  not  agree  the  prisoner  was  set 
free.  "And  found  it  not  ":  i.  e.,  the  testimony  of  the  wit- 
nessess  did  not  agree;  see  vs. 56.  Vs.  58,  "  we  heard  him  say, 
I  will  destroy  this  temple":  There  is  no  record  of  Jesus 
having  used  this  language.  John  2 19  reports  him  as  having 
said,  "  Destroy  this  temple  {%.  e.,  if  you  destroy  it)  and  in 
three  days  I  will  raise  it  up."  If  it  was  to  these  words 
that  the  testimony  referred,  it  was  false  in  the  very  im- 
portant point  of  changing  a  statement  that  if  they  de- 
stroyed the  temple  he  would  raise  it  up  {i.  e.,  restore  the 
true  worship  of  God)  into  a  threat  that  he  himself  would 
destroy  it.  Vs.  59,  "not  even  so  did  their  witness  agree": 
According  to  its  own  rules,  the  Sanhedrin  ought  now  to 
have  released  Jesus.  There  was  no  basis  even  for  a  legal 
202 


Tkial  before  Jewish  Authorities       203 

56  death;  and  found  it  not.  For  many  bare  false 
witness  against  him,  and  their  witness  agreed  not 

57  together.      And  there  stood  up  certain,  and  bare 

58  false  witness  against  him,  saying.  We  heard  him 
say,  I  will  destroy  this  temple  that  is  made  with 
hands,  and   in   three    days  I  will    build    another 

59  made    without    hands.       And    not    even    so    did 

60  their  witness  agree  together.  And  the  high  priest 
stood  up  in  the  midst,  and  asked  Jesus,  saying, 
Answerest  thou  nothing?  what  is  it  which  these 

61  witness  against  thee?  But  he  held  his  peace,  and 
answered  nothing.      Again  the  high  priest  asked 


accusation,  no  two  witnesses  having  exactly  agreed.  In- 
stead, however,  the  high  priest  (vs.  60)  attempts  to  compel 
the  prisoner  to  testify  against  himself —  a  thing  as  contrary 
to  Jewish  as  to  English  and  American  law.  Vs.  61,  "  held 
his  peace  ":  kept  silence,  as  legally  he  had  the  right  to  do, 
no  legal  charge  having  been  framed  against  him.  "Art 
thou  the  Christ":  To  this  question  Jesus  could  no  longer 
refuse  to  reply,  not  because  he  was  compelled  by  law  to 
answer,  but  because  he  could  not  lose  this  opportunity  to 
bear  witness  to  his  own  mission.  Up  to  the  time  of  the 
triumphal  entry  Jesus  had  avoided  making  his  messiahship 
prominent,  doubtless  because  it  was  certain  to  be  mis- 
understood. But  now,  before  he  dies,  he  must  leave  no 
doubt  in  their  minds  that  he  had  come  to  be  the  Messiah 
of  God,  the  Savior  of  his  people.  Vs.  62,  "ye  shall  see  the 
Son  of  man,"  etc.:  a  prediction  that  they  who  were  now  his 
judges  would  yet  see  him  triumphant  in  the  establishment 
of  his  kingdom;  c/.  13  26  and  notes,  and  X)an.  713.  Vs.  63, 
"rent  his  clothes":  an  expression  of  grief  or  horror;  see 
2  Kings  18  37;  19 1.     Vs.  64,  "  the  blasphemy  ":  For  one  not 


204      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

him,  and  saith  tinto  him,  Art  thou  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  Blessed?  And  Jesus  said,  I  am:  and 
ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting  at  the  right 
hand  of  power,  and  coming  with  the  clouds  of 
heaven.  And  the  high  priest  rent  his  clothes, 
and  saith.  What  further  need  have  we  of  witnesses  ? 
Ye  have  heard  the  blasphemy:  what  think  ye? 
And  they  all  condemned  him  to  be  worthy  of 
death.  And  some  began  to  spit  on  him,  and  to 
cover  his  face,  and  to  ^buffet  him,  and  to  say  unto 
him,  Prophesy :  and  the  officers  received  him  with 
blows  of  their  hands. 


really  the  Messiah  to  claim  to  be  such  was  blasphemy  in 
the  sense  of  falsely  claiming  to  be  the  representative  of 
God.  But  that  Jesus'  claim  to  be  the  Messiah,  the  son  of 
God,  was  false,  was  precisely  that  which  had  not  been 
proved,  and  which  had  to  be  proved  to  establish  a  charge 
of  blasphemy.  This  essential  question  the  Sanhedrin  does 
not  even  pretend  to  investigate.  Vs.  65,  "spit  on  him," 
etc.:  This  abuse  implied  that  he  had  already  been  con- 
demned, whereas,  in  fact,  he  had  had  no  legal  trial  at  all. 
Aside  from  the  fact  that  the  charge  on  which  they  con- 
demned him  lacked  the  essential  element  of  proof,  the 
trial  was  illegal,  since  Jewish  law  forbade  (1)  the  trial  of 
criminals  at  night,  (2)  the  passing  of  judgment  of  death 
without  allowing  at  least  one  night  to  elapse  after  the 
trial,  (3)  the  trial  of  criminal  cases  on  the  day  before  a 
sabbath  or  a  feast. 

QUESTIONS 
(1)  To  whom  was  Jesus  led  by  those  who  arrested 
him?     What  was  his  name?    (2)  Who  were  assembled 


Trial  before  Jewish  Authorities       205 

to  examine  Jesus?  What  is  the  name  of  the  body 
which  they  constituted?  (3)  What  success  did  the 
council  (Sanhedrin)  have  in  finding  witnesses  to  testify 
against  Jesus  (vss.  55,  56)?  (4)  What  basis  of  truth 
was  there  for  the  testimony  in  vss.  -57,  58?  Wherein 
was  the  testimony  false?  (5)  What  question  did  the 
high  priest  put  to  Jesus  (vs.  60)?  (6)  Why  did  Jesus 
not  answer  it?  (7)  What  further  question  did  the  high 
priest  put  (vs.  61)?  Consider  carefully  what  the  ques- 
tion meant.  (8)  What  was  Jesus'  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion? What  does  the  answer  mean?  (9)  Why  did 
Jesus  answer  this  question  instead  of  remaining  silent, 
as  he  had  previously  done?  (10)  To  what  passage  of 
the  Old  Testament  is  there  reference  in  the  expression 
"coming  with  the  clouds  of  heaven"?  (11)  Of  what 
crime  did  the  high  priest  then  declare  Jesus  guilty? 

(12)  If  Jesus'  claim  to  be  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
was  true,  was  it  blasphemy  for  him  to  make  the  claim  ? 

(13)  If  not  making  the  claim,  but  making  it  falsely, 
made  the  act  blasphemous,  what  ought  the  high  priest 
to  have  done  and  decided  before  condemning  Jesus? 

(14)  What  sentence  did  the  Sanhedrin  pronounce,  and 
how  did  they  treat  Jesus  after  pronouncing  sentence? 
(15)*  Name  five  particulars  in  which  the  trial  and  sen- 
tence of  Jesus  were  illegal.  (16)  Think  carefully  over  the 
whole  story  of  Jesus'  betrayal,  arrest,  and  trial,  and  in 
dicate  what  were  the  various  influences  that  brought 
about  Jesus'  death,  and  with  what  spirit  he  went  to  his 
death. 


SECTION  LXIV 
THE  DENIALS  OF  PETER,  14 :  66-72 
And  as  Peter  was  beneath  in  the  court,  there  66 
Cometh  one  of  the  maids  of  the  high  priest;  and  67 
seeing  Peter  warming  himself,  she  looked  upon 
him,  and  saith,  Thou  also  wast  with  the  Nazarene, 
even   Jesus.     But  he  denied,   saying,   I   neither  68 
know,  nor  understand  what  thou  sayest:  and  he 
went  out  into  the  porch;  and  the  cock  crew.     And  69 
the  maid  saw   him,   and  began   again   to   say  to 
them  that  stood  by,  This  is  one  of  them.     But  70 
he    again    denied    it.      And    after   a    little  while 
again  they  that  stood  by  said  to  Peter,  Of  a  truth 
thou  art  one  of   them;  for  thou   art  a  Galilgean. 
But  he  began  to  curse,  and  to  swear,  I  know  not  71 
this  man  of  whom  ye  speak.     And  straightway  72 
the  second  time  the  cock  crew.     And  Peter  called 
to  mind  the  word,  how  that  Jesus  said  unto  him, 
Before  the  cock  crow  twice,  thou  shalt  deny  me 
thrice.     And  when  he  thought  thereon,  he  wept. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 
Vs.  66,  "beneath  in  the  court":  The  house| was  doubt- 
less a  large  one  of  two  stories  built  about  a  court,  itself 
open  to  the  sky,  or  perhaps  having  two  or  more  such 
courts  with  rooms  about  each.  Vs.  67,  "seeing  Peter 
warming  himself":  c/.  vs.  54.  The  fire  was  doubtless  of 
charcoal  in  a  brazier  of  some  sort.  See  John  18 1«.  Vs.  68, 
206 


The  Denials  of  Peter  207 

"  went  out  into  the  porch  ":  not  what  we  mean  by  a  porch 
or  veranda,  but  the  outer  one  of  the  two  or  more  courts 
of  the  house,  or  the  corridor  which  led  from  the  street  to 
the  court.  Vs.  70,  "  for  thou  art  a  Galilean  ":  The  Gali- 
leans had  some  slight  peculiarities  of  speech  which  Judeans 
would  notice.  See  Matt.  26  73,  "  for  thy  speech  betrayeth 
thee."  Vs.  72,  "the  second  time  the  cock  crew":  i.e.,  it. 
was  second  cock-crowing,  about  3  a.  m. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Having  read  vss.  66-72  carefully,  tell  the  story 
of  Peter's  denials.  (2)*  Recall  the  account  of  Peter's 
confident  assertion  that  he  would  not  deny  Jesus 
(1427-31)^  and  consider  what  led  him  to  do  so.  (3)  How 
might  he  have  escaped  so  sad  a  blunder  and  sin?  (4)* 
Does  this  incident  show  Peter  to  have  been  wholly 
unworthy  of  Jesus'  confidence  in  him  ?  (5)  Under  what 
circumstances  are  we  today  in  danger  of  repeating 
Peter's  sin,  and  how  can  we  guard  against  this  danger? 


SECTION  LXV 
THE  TRIAL  BEFORE  PILATE,  15 : 1-20 

And    straightway    in  the    morning    the    chief  1 
priests  with  the  elders  and  scrilDes,  and  the  whole 
council,  held   a   consultation,   and    bound  Jesus, 
and  carried  him  away,  and   delivered  him  up  to 
Pilate.      And  Pilate  asked  -  him,   Art    thou   the  2 
King  of  the  Jews  ?     And  he  answering  saith  unto 
him.  Thou  sayest.     And  the  chief  priests  accused  3 
him   of  many  things.      And   Pilate   again   asked  4 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "  the  chief  priests  with  the  elders  and  scribes, 
and  the  whole  council":  i.e.,  the  Sanhedrin.  As  this 
body  included  both  Sadducean  priests  and  Pharisaic 
scribes,  both  parties  were  united  in  the  act.  "  Delivered 
him  up  to  Pilate":  The  Sanhedrin  could  try  a  prisoner 
and  condemn  him,  but  could  not  put  him  to  death.  The 
power  of  life  and  death  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Roman 
procurator,  who  was  the  governor  of  Judea  —  at  this  time 
Pontius  Pilate  —  who  could  carry  out  the  decision  of  the 
Sanhedrin  or  try  the  prisoner  himself.  In  this  case  Pilate 
decided  to  do  the  latter,  or  rather  to  make  some  inquiries 
before  deciding  to  do  the  former.  Vs.  2,  "  and  Pilate  asked 
him,  Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews?":  The  Sanhedrin 
had  condemned  Jesus  for  blasphemy  in  calling  himself  the 
Christ.  But  blasphemy  was  not  a  charge  that  would  hold 
in  a  Roman  court.  So  they  converted  it  into  an  accusation 
of  treason  against  Rome  in  making  himself  the  king  of  the 
Jews.  Thus  they  accused  him  of  being  just  what  he  had 
208 


The  Trial  before  Pilate  209 

him,    saying,   Answerest    thou   nothing?    behold 

5  how  many  things  they  accuse  thee  of.  But  Jesus 
no  more  answered  anything ;  insomuch  that  Pilate 
marvelled. 

6  Now  at  the  feast  he  used  to  release  unto  them 

7  one  prisoner,  whom  they  asked  of  him.  And 
there  was  one  called  Barabbas,  lying  bound  with 
them   that   had   made   insurrection,   men  who  in 

8  the  insurrection  had  committed  murder.  And 
the  multitude  went  up  and  began  to  ask  him  to  do 

9  as  he  was  wont  to  do  unto  them.  And  Pilate 
answered  them,   sayings   Will   ye   that   I   release 


always  refused  to  be  and  carefully  avoided  seeming  to  be, 
viz.,  the  Christ  such  as  popular  expectation  looked  for,  a 
king  who  would  throw  off  the  Roman  yoke.  See  the  fuller 
account  in  John  18  29-32  and  Luke  23  2,  3.  "  Thou  sayest ": 
in  effect  a  refusal  to  answer.  To  say  Yes  to  Pilate's  ques- 
tion would  be  to  confess  himself  guilty  of  treason,  which  of 
course  he  was  not.  To  say  No  might  be  understood  as 
saying  that  he  was  not  the  Christ,  which  he  was.  So  he 
leaves  it  for  Pilate  to  prove  whether  he  had  made  any 
treasonable  claim  to  be  a  king.  Vs.  5,  "  no  more  answered 
anything":  He  continued  this  policy  of  silence. 

Vs.  7,  "insurrection":  revolt  against  the  Roman 
authorities.  This  man  had  been  really  doing  what  the 
Jews  falsely  tried  to  make  it  appear  that  Jesus  had  done. 
Vs.  8,  "the  multitude  went  up":  The  common  people 
came  to  ask  for  the  pardon  of  a  prisoner  according  to 
Pilate's  custom,  and  Pilate  took  advantage  (vs.  9)  of  this 
fact  to  escape  from  the  perplexity  into  which  the  action  of 
the  more  aristocratic  leaders  had  thrown  him.  Vs.  11, 
"but  the   chief  priests   stirred  up  the  multitude":   The 


210      The  Gospel  ACcORDiNa  to  Maek 

unto  you  the  King   of  the  Jews?     For  he  per-   10 
ceived  that  for  envy  the  chief  priests  had  delivered 
him   up.      But  the  chief    priests   stirred   up  the   11 
multitude,  that  he  should  rather  release  Barabbas 
unto  them.     And  Pilate  again  answered  and  said  12 
unto  them,  What  then  shall  I  do  unto  him  whom 
ye  call  the  King  of  the  Jews?     And  they  cried  13 
out  again,   Crucify   him.     And  Pilate  said   unto  11 
them,  Why,  what  evil  hath  he  done?     But  they 
cried  out  exceedingly.  Crucify  him.     And  Pilate,   15 
wishing  to  content  the  multitude,  released  unto 
them  Barabbas,  and  delivered  Jesus,  when  he  had 


common  people  and  the  priests  were  at  first  interested  in 
two  entirely  different  things.  The  former  wanted  the  par- 
don of  a  prisoner,  the  latter  the  condemnation  of  Jesus. 
But  when  the  priests  saw  that  the  request  of  the  people 
was  likely  to  result  in  the  release  of  Jesus  and  the  defeat 
of  their  plan,  they  shrewdly  persuaded  the  people  to  ask 
for  a  particular  prisoner,  Barabbas.  This  man,  represent- 
ing hatred  of  the  Roman  authority,  was  very  likely  popular 
with  the  common  people.  Thus  Pilate's  plan  of  satisfying 
everybody  failed.  Vs.  15,  "  wishing  to  content  the  multi- 
tude": and  so  keep  hiniself  popular  with  them  as  a  gover- 
nor. He  evidently  saw  that  there  was  nothing  in  the 
charge  against  Jesus,  and  preferred  to  release  him,  but 
was  not  brave  enough  to  do  it  at  the  cost  of  displeasing 
both  the  priests  and  the  people.  "Scourged  him":  This 
cruel  beating  with  loaded  whips  was  a  common  prelude  to 
the  crucifixion.  Like  crucifixion  itself,  it  was  a  Roman 
punishment. 

Vs.  16,  "the  Praetorium":  the  official  residence  of  the 
procurator,  probably  closely  connected  with,  or  a  part  of, 


The  Trial  before  Pilate  211 

scourged  him,  to  be  crucified. 

16  And    the    soldiers    led    him  away   within   the 

court,   which   is  the   ^  Prsetorium ;   and  they   call  i  or,  paiace 

17  together  the  whole  ^ band.     And  they  clothe  him  ^cohort 
with  purple,  and   plaiting  a  crown  of  thorns,  they 

18  put  it   on   him;  and'  they   began   to   salute  him, 

19  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews !  And  they  smote  his 
head  with    a  reed,  and  did  spit  upon  him,  and 

20  bowing  their  knees  worshipped  him.  And  when 
they  had  mocked  him,  they  took  off  from  him  the 
purple,  and  put  on  him  his  garments.  And  they 
lead  him  out  to  crucify  him. 


the  castle  of  Antonia,  which  stood  just  north  of  the  west 
end  of  the  temple  area.  The  court  within  which  they  led 
Jesus  was  evidently  a  different  place  from  that  in  which 
the  hearing  before  Pilate  had  taken  place.  It  was  per- 
haps connected  with  the  soldiers'  quarters.  "  The  whole 
band":  the  whole  cohort  or  garrison  of  soldiers  stationed 
in  the  castle  of  Antonia.  Vs.  17,  "  and  they  clothe  him 
with  purple  ":  in  mockery  of  his  kingship,  purple  being  the 
emblem  of  royalty.  "A  crown  of  thorns":  a  further  mock- 
ery of  his  royalty.  Vs.  18,  " Hail,  King  of  the  Jews":  sar- 
castic, of  course ;  they  mingled  mock  homage  and  direct 
insult. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  What  action  did  the  Sanhedrin  take  in  the 
morning?  (2)  To  whom  did  they  lead  Jesus?  (3)* 
What  was  Pilate's  office,  and  why  was  it  necessary  to 
take  Jesus  before  him  ?  (4)  What  question  did  Pilate 
put  to  Jesus?    (5)  What  does  this  question  show  to 


212      The  Gospel  accokding  to  Makk 

have  been  the  charge  brought  by  the  Jews  against 
Jesus?  (6)*  Is  this  the  same  charge  on  which  they 
had  themselves  condemned  him  ?  If  not,  what  was  the 
relation  between  the  two,  and  why  was  the  change 
made?  (7)  What  was  Jesus'  answer  to  Pilate's  ques- 
tion (vs.  2),  and  why  did  he  answer  thus?  (8)  How 
did  Jesus  treat  the  further  accusations  of  the  Jews? 
(9)*  Read  vss.  6-15  and  tell  the  story  of  Barabbas, 
bringing  out  clearly  the  part  played  by  the  people,  by 
the  priests,  and  by  Pilate.  (10)  By  what  motives  was 
each  of  these  moved,  and  for  what  was  each  to  blame 
in  the  transaction?  (11)  What  was  the  outcome  of  it 
all  (vs.  15)?  (12)  To  what  indignities  was  Jesus  sub- 
jected at  the  hands  of  the  soldiers?  (13)  Were  these 
soldiers  Romans,  or  Jews?  (14)  Where  did  these  things 
take  place?  (15)*  How  long  before  this  time  had  Jesus 
foreseen  and  foretold  to  his  disciples  his  rejection  and 
condemnation  by  the  chief  priests  ?  (16)  When  did  he 
first  speak  of  being  put  to  death  at  the  hands  of  the 
Romans  (gentiles)?  See  1033, 34.  (17)*  Could  he  have 
avoided  dying  thus,  rejected  by  his  own  people  and 
slain  by  the  gentiles,  if  he  had  chosen  to  do  so  ?  How  ? 
(18)  Why  did  he  go  unflinchingly  on  to  meet  his  death? 
See  10  45.  (19)  What  does  he  expect  of  those  who  fol- 
low him  as  his  disciples?     See  8  3^;  10 ^2-45. 


SECTION  LXVI 

THE  CRUCIFIXION  AND  THE  DEATH  OF  JESUS, 
15:21-41 

21  And  they  compel  one  passing  by,  Simon  of 
Cyrene,  coming  from  the  country,  the  father  of 
Alexander  and  Kufus,  to  go  with  them,  that  he 

22  might  bear  his  cross.  And  they  bring  him  unto 
the  place  Golgotha,  which  is,  being  interpreted, 

23  The  place  of  a  skull.     And  they  offered  him  wine 

24  mingled  with  myrrh :  but  he  received  it  not.  And 
they  crucify  him,  and  part  his  garments  among 
them,  casting  lots  upon  them,  what  each  should 

25  take.     And  it  was  the  third  hour,  and  they  cruci- 

26  tied  him.  And  the  superscription  of  his  accusa- 
tion was  written   over,  the  king  of  the  jews. 

27  And  with  him  they  crucify  two  robbers;  one  on 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  21,  "  Simon  of  Cyrene  ":  a  Jew,  as  the  name  Simon 
indicates,  whose  home  was  or  had  been  in  Cyrene,|  but 
who  was  for  the  time  at  Jerusalem.  "Alexander  and 
Rufus":  doubtless  Christians  well  known  when  Mark 
wrote;  possibly  then  living  in  Rome,  where  it  is  supposed 
by  some  that  Mark  wrote  his  gospel;  see  Rom.  16 13.  "  That 
he  might  bear  his  cross  ":  That  they  compelled  this  passer- 
by to  carry  the  cross  of  Jesus  was  probably  due  to  Jesus' 
having  been  exhausted  by  the  scourging.  Vs.  22,  "and 
they  bring  him  unto  the  place  Golgotha"!:  a  point  out- 
side the  city  wall  as  it  then  was;  see  John  19  20;  Heb.  13 12. 
Vs.  23,  "wine  mingled  with  myrrh  "I:  to  diminish  the 
213 


214:     The  Gospel  acookding  to  Make 

his  right  hand,  and  one  on  his  left.     And  they  29 
that  passed  by  railed  on  him,  wagging  their  heads, 
and  saying,  Ha!  thou  that  destroyest  the  temple, 
and  buildest  it  in  three  days,  save  thyself,  and  30 
come  down  from  the  cross.     In  like  manner  also  31 
the  chief  priests  mocking  him  among  themselves 
with  the  scribes  said,  He  saved  others ;  himself  he 
cannot  save.     Let  the  Christ,  the  King  of  Israel,  32 
now  come  down  from  the  cross,  that  we  may  see 
and  believe.     And  they  that  were  crucified  with 
him  reproached  him. 

And  when  the  sixth  hour  was  come,  there  was  33 
darkness  over  the  whole  land  until  the  ninth  hour. 
And  at  the  ninth  hour  Jesus  cried  with  a  loud  34 
voice,  Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani?  which  is,  be- 
ing interpreted.  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou 
forsaken  me?     And  some  of  them  that  stood  by,  35 

pain  by  partially  deadening  the  senses.  "  But  he  received 
it  not":  being  unwilling  to  have  his  mind  in  any  measure 
clouded.  Vs.  24,  "and  they  crucifyt  him":  In  this  act 
the  hatred  and  opposition  of  the  Jews  to  Jesus  culminated, 
as  Jesus  had  long  foreseen  it  would.  "  Part  his  garments 
among  them":  It  was  the  custom  to  give  the  clothing  of 
the  condemned  man  to  his  executioners.  "It  was  the 
third  hour":  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Vs.  29,  "thou 
that  destroyest  the  temple":  see  14  58  and  notes. 

Vs.  33,  "the  sixth  hour":  noon;  the  ninth  hour  was  of 
course  three  in  the  afternoon.  "  Darkness  over  the  whole 
land":  symbolic  of  the  blackness  of  the  sin  which  cul- 
minated in  the  crucifixion  of  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God. 
Vs.  34,  "Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani":    The  words  are 


Ckuoifixion  and  Death  of  Jesus     215 

when  they  heard  it,  said,  Behold,  he  calleth  Eli- 

36  jah.  And  one  ran,  and  filling  a  sponge  full  of 
vinegar,  put  it  on  a  reed,  and  gave  him  to  drink, 
saying,  Let  be;  let  us  see  whether  Elijah  cometh 

37  to  take  him   down.     And  Jesus  uttered  a  loud 

38  voice,  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  And  the  veil  of 
the  temple  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the 

39  bottom.  And  when  the  centurion,  which  stood 
by  over  against  him,  saw  that  he  so  gave  up  the 
ghost,  he  said,  Truly  this  man  was  the  Son  of 

40  God.  And  there  were  also  women  beholding  from 
afar:  among  whom  ivei^e  both  Mary  Magdalene, 
and  Mary  the  mother  of  James  the  less  and  of 

41  Joses,  and  Salome;  who,  when  he  was  in  Galilee, 
followed  him,  and  ministered  unto  him ;  and  many 
other  women  which  came  up  with  him  unto  Jeru- 
salem. 

Aramaic,  the  language  (kindred  with  Hebrew)  which  Jesus 
probably  usually  spoke  in  his  boyhood  home.  The  lan- 
guage is  taken  from  Ps.  22,  which  Jesus  may  well  have 
had  in  mind  as  a  whole;  by  it  he  expresses  an  unshaken 
faith  in  God  (notice  the  words,  my  God,  my  God),  even  in 
the  face  of  sufferings  that  produce  the  sense  of  having 
been  forsaken  of  God.  "  He  calleth  Elijah":  They  misun- 
derstood, it  would  seem,  his  words  "  Eloi,  Eloi."  Vs.  36, 
"vinegar":  sour  wine,  intended  to  relieve  his  sufferings  a 
little.  Vs.  37,  "gave  up  the  ghost":  expired.  "Give  up 
the  ghost "  is  an  Old  English  phrase  meaning  to  die.  Vs. 
38,  "and  the  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain":  The 
old  system  with  its  temple  and  ritual  was  at  an  end;  cf. 
Heb.  1019-22,    Vs.  39,  "  centurion  "|:  the  officer  in  charge  of 


216     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

the  soldiers.  "  The  Son  of  God  ":  rather,  a  son  of  God.  It 
was  a  Roman  who  uttered  these  words,  and  he  probably 
meant  by  them  a  sort  of  demi-god. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Read  carefully  vss.  21-32,  and,  after  considering 
the  meaning  of  each  sentence,  tell  the  facts  about  the 
crucifixion  as  here  recorded.  (2)  Why  did  they  compel 
Simon  to  carry  the  cross?  (3)*  What  was  the  purpose 
of  the  wine  mingled  with  myrrh,  and  why  did  Jesus 
refuse  it  ?  (4)  How  did  death  on  the  cross  compare  with 
other  methods  of  execution?  (5)  Why  was  this  method 
used  in  Jesus'  case?  (6)  What  time  of  day  is  denoted 
by  the  "third  hoiu:"  in  vs.  25?  (7)  To  what  do  the 
words  of  the  mockers  in  vs.  29  refer?  (8)*  Were  the 
words  of  the  chief  priests  in  vs.  31  true  in  any  sense? 
Could  Jesus  have  saved  himself  from  death  and  still 
have  been,  as  he  has  been,  the  Savior  of  the  world?  Is 
it  a  general  principle  for  us  as  well  as  for  Jesus  that  we 
lose  our  lives  in  order  to  save  them?  (9)  Read  care- 
fully vss.  33-37,  and  tell  the  story  as  there  related. 
(10)  What  time  is  denoted  by  the  sixth  and  ninth 
homrs?  (11)  What  does  the  darkness  spoken  of  in  vs. 
33  symbolize?  (12)  In  connection  with  vs.  34  read  Ps. 
22,  from  which  the  words  of  Jesus  are  derived,  and 
consider  what  these  words  express  as  used  by  Jesus. 
(13)  Read  vss.  38-41,  and  relate  the  incidents  con- 
nected with  the  crucifixion  here  narrated.  (14)  What 
did  the  rending  of  the  veil  symbolize?  (15)  What 
does  the  word  "centurion"  in  vs.  39  mean?  Of  what 
nation  was  this  man?  (16)*  Name  the  various  classes 
of  persons  who  stood  about  the  cross,  and  describe  the 
feelings  of  each  class,  so  far  as  you  can. 


SECTION  LXVII 
THE  BURIAL,  15:42-47 

42  And  when  ^even  was  now  come,  because  it  was  i  evening 
the  Preparation,  that  is,  the  day  before  the  sab- 

43  bath,  there  came  Joseph  of  Arimathsea,  a  councillor 
of  honourable  estate,  who  also  himself  was  looking 
for  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  he  boldly  went  in 

44  unto  Pilate,  and  asked  for  the  body  of  Jesus.  And 
Pilate  marvelled  if  he  were  already  dead:  and  call- 
ing unto  him  the  centurion,  he  asked  him  whether 

45  he  had  been  any  while  dead.  And  when  he  learned 
it  of  the  centurion,  he  granted  the  corpse  to  Joseph. 

46  And  he  bought  a  linen  cloth,  and  taking  him  down, 
wound  him  in  the  linen  cloth,  and  laid  him  in  a 
tomb  which  had  been  hewn  out  of  a  rock ;  and  he 

47  rolled  a  stone  against  the  door  of  the  tomb.  And 
Mary  Magdalene  and  Mary  the  mother  of  Joses 
beheld  where  he  was  laid. 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  43,  "  of  honourable  estate  ":  rather  of  good  standing 
in  the  community.  " Looking  for  the  kingdom  of  God"!: 
expecting  and  hoping  for  the  estabhshment  of  the  reign  of 
God  on  earth.  Vs.  46,  "  wound  him  in  a  linen  cloth  ":  This 
was  the  usual  way  of  preparing  for  burial  among  the  Jews. 
They  did  not  use  coffins.  See  John  19  -to.  "  Rolled  a  stone 
against  the  door  of  the  tomb""f:  This  also  was  a  common 
way  of  burying;  cf.  John  1138.  Circular  stone  doors  of 
tombs  cut  in  the  living  rock  are  still  to  be  seen  in  Palestine. 

217 


218      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Read  attentively  vss.  42-47,  and  explain  the  fol- 
lowing words  and  phrases:  " Preparation," f  "coun- 
cilor,"! "honourable  estate,"  "looking  for  the  kingdom 
of  God."  f  (2)*  Describe  in  general  how  the  Jews  buried 
their  dead.  (3)*  What  do  the  various  gospels  tell  us 
about  Joseph  f  of  Arimathsea?  (4)  Tell  the  story  of 
the  burial  of  Jesus. 


A   ROCK -CUT  TOMB 


The  Burial  219 

*  REVIEW  QUESTIONS 

(1)  For  what  did  the  Pharisees  first  find  fault  with 
Jesus?  See  2 6, 7.  (2)  For  what  other  things  did  they 
find  fault  with  him  apparently  about  this  same  time? 
See  2 13 — 3  6,  (3)  Yot  what  was  Jesus  displeased  with 
them?  See  3'^.  (4)  What  was  the  great  question  on 
which  Jesus  and  the  Pharisees  disagreed  ?     See  7  ^-^^. 

(5)  When  did  the  chief  priests,  according  to  the  record  of 
this  gospel,  first  show  opposition  to  Jesus  ?     See  11  27, 28, 

(6)  What  two  great  parties,  of  the  Jews,  represented 
respectively  by  the  scribes  and  chief  priests,  were  thus 
united  in  opposition  to  Jesus?  (7)  Who  had  Jesus  pre- 
dicted would  put  him  to  death?  See  8^1;  1033,34. 
1418-20.  (8)  Review  the  steps  that  led  to  the  death  of 
Jesus  and  consider  what  two  nations  finally  participated 
in  his  death.  (9)  What  different  classes  and  persons  of 
the  Jewish  nation  united  in  bringing  it  about?  (10) 
By  what  motives  were  these  people  influenced  in  their 
action?  (11)  How  did  different  people  treat  Jesus  in 
the  time  of  his  trial  and  suffering?  (12)  What  made 
death  so  terrible  to  Jesus?  (13)  Did  he  foresee  his 
death,  and  might  he  have  adopted  a  course  by  which  he 
could  have  escaped  it?  (14)  W^hy  did  he  choose  to  go 
forward  to  death  rather  than  adopt  such  a  course?  (15) 
Many  of  the  Jews  of  Jesus'  day  refused  to  accept  him 
as  the  Messiah  in  part  just  because  he  died  as  he  did, 
on  the  cross,  rejected  by  the  leaders  of  the  people :  what 
ought  we  to  think  of  him  and  how  ought  we  to  feel 
and  act  toward  him  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he  died  as 
he  did? 


SECTION  LXVIII 

THE  RESURRECTION  OF  JESUS,  ATTESTED  BY 
THE  EMPTY  TOMB  AND  THE  WORD  OF  THE 
YOUNG  MAN,  16:1-8 

And  when  the  sabbath  was  past,  Mary  Magda-  1 
lene,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and  Salome, 
bought  spices,  that  they  might  come  and  anoint 
him.     And  very  early  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  2 
they  come  to  the  tomb  when  the  sun  was  risen. 
And   they   were   saying   among  themselves,  Who  3 
shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

Vs.  1,  "when  the  sabbath  was  past":  i.  e.,  in  the 
evening,  when  the  sabbath,  which  closed  at  sunset,  was 
over ;  Saturday  evening,  according  to  our  way  of  speaking. 
"  Spices":  in  part  at  least  aromatic  oils  (cf.  2  Kings  2013). 
as  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  they  were  to  be  used  to 
anoint  the  body.  Vs.  2,  "on  the  first  day  of  the  week  ":  Sun- 
day. Vs.  3,  "who  shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from  the  door 
of  the  tomb?"  cf.  15  46.  Vs.  7,  "he  goeth  before  you  into 
Galilee,"  etc.:  c/.  1428;  see  also  John  211;  Matt.  2816,17, 
Vs.  8,  "trembling  and  astonishment  ....  for  they  were 
afraid":  Ihe  vision  which  they  had  seen  and  the  wonder- 
ful, incredible,  news  which  they  had  been  told,  overpowered 
for  the  time  the  joy  which  otherwise  they  would  have  felt 
in  the  fact  that  Jesus  was  alive.  The  story  here  breaks  off 
abruptly.  See  note  at  beginning  of  Section  LXIX. 
220 


The  Resurrection  of  Jesus        221 

4  tomb?  and  looking  up,  they  see  that  the  stone  is 

5  rolled  back:  for  it  was  exceeding  great.  And 
entering  into  the  tomb,  they  saw  a  young  man  sit- 
ting on  the  right  side,  arrayed  in  a  white  robe; 

6  and  they  were  amazed.  And  he  saith  unto  them. 
Be  not  amazed :  ye  seek  Jesus,  the  Nazarene,  which 
hath  been  crucified:  he  is  risen;  he  is  not  here: 

7  behold,  the  place  where  they  laid  him!  But  go, 
tell  his  disciples  and  Peter,  He  goeth  before  you 
into  Galilee:  there  shall  ye  see  him,  as  he  said 

8  unto  you.  And  they  went  out,  and  fled  from  the 
tomb;  for  trembling  and  astonishment  had  come 
upon  them ;  and  they  said  nothing  to  a'ny  one ;  for 
they  were  afraid. 


QUESTIONS 
(1)*  Read  carefully  vss.  1-8,  and  state  when — on 
what  days  of  the  week — and  where  these  events  took 
place.  (2)  What  stone  is  referred  to  in  vs.  3?  (3)* 
What  previous  saying  of  Jesus  is  referred  to  in  vs.  7? 
(4)*  Tell  the  story  of  what  the  women  saw  at  and  in  the 
tomb?  (5)  What  feeling  would  the  fact  that  Jesus  was 
risen  from  the  dead  in  itself  produce  ?  (6)  What  then 
caused  the  trembling,  astonishment,  and  fear  spoken  of 
in  vs.  8? 


SECTION  LXIX 

APPENDIX:    SUMMARY  OP  THE  APPEARANCES 
OF  JESUS,  16:9-20 


iThe-two  oldest       '  Now  wheii  liG  wRs  risen  early  on  the  first  day  9 

Greek  manu-  •'  J       " 

»ome*othe"/    of  the  Week,  he  appeared  first  to  Mary  Magdalene, 


omit  from  vs.  froHi  wliom  he  had  cast  out   seven  Mevils.     She  10 

9  to  the  end. 


different 
ending  to  the 
Kospel. 
2  demons 


Authorities     went  and  told  them  that  had  been  with  him,  as 

they  mourned  and  wept.     And  they,  when  they  11 
heard  that  he  was  alive,  and  had  been  seen  of  her, 
disbelieved. 

And  after  these  things  he  was  manifested  in  12 
another  form  unto  two  of  them,  as  they  walked,  on 
their  way  into  the  country.     And  they  went  away   13 
and  told  it  unto  the  rest:  neither  believed  they 
them. 

And    afterward,  he  was    manifested    unto   the  H 
eleven   themselves  as   they  sat   at   meat;  and  he 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES 

With  vs.  8  ends,  probably,  all  that  we  have  of  the 
gospel  of  Mark  as  Mark  wrote  it.  See  note  on  the  margin 
of  the  text.  This,  however,  can  hardly  have  been  the  end 
of  the  gospel.  Mark  would  not  have  finished  the  gospel 
with  the  words,  "  they  were  afraid,"  and  without  narrating 
any  appearance  of  Jesus  at  all.  By  some  accident,  we 
know  not  what,  the  concluding  verses  of  the  gospel  were 
very  early  lost,  and  someone  else  added  vss.  9-20  to  finish 
the  gospel.  These  verses  are  not  a  continuation  of  Mark's 
222 


SuMMAKY  OF  Jesus'  Appeaeances     223 

upbraided  them  with  their  unbelief  and  hardness 
of  heart,  because  they  believed  not  them  which 

15  had  seen  him  after  he  was  risen.  And  he  said 
unto  them,  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 

16  the  gospel  to  the  whole  creation.  He  that 
believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved;  but  he 

17  that  disbelieveth  shall  be  condemned.  And  these 
signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe:  in  my  name 
shall  they  cast  out  Mevils ;  they  shall  speak  with 

18  new  tongues ;  they  shall  take  up  serpents,  and  if 
they  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  in  no  wise 
hurt  them ;  they  shall  lay  hands  on  the  sick,  and 
they  shall  recover. 

19  So  then  the  Lord  Jesus,  after  he  had  spoken 
unto  them,  was  received  up  into  heaven,  and  sat 

20  down  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  And  they  went 
forth,  and  preached  everywhere,  the  Lord  working 
with  them,  and  confirming  the  word  by  the  signs 
that  followed.      Amen. 


story,  but  a  brief  account  of  various  appearances  of  Jesus, 
very  likely  condensed  from  other  gospels,  but  with  the 
addition  of  matter  not  contained  in  any  of  the  gospels. 

QUESTIONS 

(1)  Read  vss.  9-11,  and  the  fuller  account  of  the 
appearance  to  Mary  in  John  20  n-is.  (2)  Read  vss.  12, 
13,  and  the  fuller  account  in  Luke  24  13-35,  (^3)  Read 
vs.  14,  and  the  fuller  account  in  Luke  24  ^6-43^  or  John 
20  19-25,    (4.)  Read  vss.  15,  16,  and  the  fuller  account  in 


224     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

Matt.  28  16-20.  (5)  Read  vss.  17,  18  (there  is  no  parallel 
in  the  other  gospels),  and  see  Acts  2 1-^;  5 15;  19 12 ;  28 1-6. 
C6)  Read  vss.  19,  20,  and  the  fuller  account  in  Luke 
24  50-53.  (7)  When  had  Jesus  predicted  that  he  would 
rise  again?  See  8  si;  9  9;  10  34;  U  28.  (8)*  What  three 
kinds  of  evidence  did  the  disciples  have  that  he  had 
risen?  (a)  In  what  condition  was  the  tomb  (16  ^-7)? 
(b)  What  did  the  angel  testify  (16  6)?  (c)  What  did 
the  disciples  themselves  see  (169, 12, 14)?  (9)*  What 
other  gospels  contain  in  substance  the  command  of  vs. 
15?  (10)  What  reasons  occur  to  you  why  it  was  right 
and  necessary  for  the  immediate  disciples  of  Jesus  to 
obey  this  command  to  the  extent  of  their  power?  (11) 
Do  these  same  reasons  apply  to  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
today?  (12)  Would  it  be  in  accordance  with  the  spirit 
of  Jesus  -for  us,  possessing  the  truth  and  blessings  of 
the  gospel,  not  to  seek  to  give  these  to  those  who  do  not 
possess  them?  (13)  What  book  of  the  New  Testament 
gives  an  account  of  the  work  referred  to  in  vs.  20? 
(14)  Where  can  we  read  the  history  of  the  continuance 
of  that  work  in  the  efforts  which  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
have  made  in  accordance  with  the  thought  and  spirit  of 
Jesus  expressed  in  vs.  15? 


Keview  Questions  on  Gospel       225 


PREVIEW  QUESTIONS  ON  THE  WHOLE  GOSPEL 

To  THE  Pupil. — The  object  of  these  review  questions 
is  to  help  you  to  fix  the  main  features  of  the  gospel  of 
Mark  in  your  mind,  so  that  they  will  stay  with  you  always. 
If  you  can  do  this,  it  will  make  this  gospel  more  helpful  to 
you  all  your  life.  Take  time  enough  for  this  review  to  do 
the  work  thoroughly.  On  the  questions  that  refer  to  the 
names  of  events  and  sections  you  can  find  help  in  the  titles 
given  at  the  head  of  the  successive  sections  in  the  body  of 
the  book;  yet  it  will  be  wise  before  looking  at  these  to  try 
to  give  names  to  the  events  for  yourselves.  To  assist  you 
in  gaining  a  clear  idea  of  the  gospel  as  a  whole,  and  of  the 
plan  of  the  book  as  it  lay  in  the  mind  of  the  writer,  there  is 
printed  near  the  end  of  the  book,  after  these  questions,  an 
analysis  or  outline  of  the  gospel.  In  the  body  of  the  book 
the  successive  sections  of  the  gospel  are  for  convenience 
numbered  continuously.  But  in  the  analysis  the  effort  is 
made  to  show  the  larger  natural  divisions  of  the  book  of 
which  these  sections  are  really  subdivisions,  while  for  pur- 
poses of  cross-reference  the  continuous  numbers  are  also 
placed  on  the  margin  of  the  page.  Thus  Section  XXIII, 
"The  Feeding  of  the  Five  Thousand,  6:30-46,"  is  more 
correctly  described  as  Part  II  (of  the  gospel),  subdivision 
7,  section  a. 

1.  How  many  chapters  are  there  in  Mark's  gospel? 
How  many  in  each  of  the  others  ? 

2.  What  is  the  first  event  of  Jesus'  life  narrated  in 
this  gospel?  In  what  part  of  the  New  Testament  have 
we  stories  of  his  earlier  years  ? 

3.  Of  whom  do  the  first  verses  of  this  gospel  speak 
before  narrating  any  event  of  Jesus'  life? 

4.  Name  the  three  sections  which  precede  the  record 
of  Jesus'  public  life  w  hich  begins  in  1 1^.  What  general 
title  would  describe  these  three  events  ? 


226   The  Gospel  accoeding  to  Mark 

5.  In  what  region  of  the  country  did  Jesus  begin  to 
preach  after  the  imprisonment  of  John? 

6.  How  large  a  part  of  this  gospel  is  occupied  with 
the  work  of  Jesus  in  and  about  this  region?  See 
the  analysis,  and  notes  on  10  i,  if  necessary,  to  help 
you  answer  this  question. 

7.  Name  the  events  of  Jesus'  ministry  in  Galilee 
which  are  narrated  in  the  first  chapter  of  the  gospel 
(1  14-45). 

8.  What  dififerent  kinds  of  work  is  he  related  to  be 
doing  in  these  sections  ?  (For  example,  is  he  gathering 
disciples,  teaching  the  people,  or  engaged  in  some  still 
other  kind  of  work  ?) 

9.  It  is  an  old  tradition  that  Mark  wrote  in  his  gospel 
the  things  that  he  had  heard  Peter  tell  about  Jesus. 
How  many  of  these  events  could  Peter  have  told  from 
his  own  knowledge? 

10.  What  class  of  people  are  mentioned  in  every 
event  narrated  between  2  i  and  3  ^  ? 

11.  In  what  attitude  to  Jesus  do  they  appear  in 
each  event? 

12.  Name  these  events  and  tell  what  the  scribes  (or 
Pharisees)  said  or  did  in  each  one.  Give  a  general  title 
to  this  group  of  events. 

13.  Thus  far  in  the  narrrative  has  Jesus  made* 
friends  only  or  enemies  only,  or  both  ?  Who  are  his 
friends,  and  who  are  his  enemies? 

14.  What  important  event  of  Jesus'  ministry  is 
narrated  in  3  13-19? 

15.  Of  what  is  chap.  4  chiefly  made  up  ? 

16.  What  is  a  parable?  How  many  parables  of 
Jesus  are  there  in  this  gospel? 

17.  Name  the  events  which  are  related  in  4  3"j-6  6. 

18.  Name  the  events  recorded  in  6  '^-7  23. 


Keview  Questions  on  Gospel       227 

19.  What  kinds  of  work  do  we  find  Jesus  doing  in 
these  chapters  5,  6,  7  ?     Compare  Question  8. 

20.  Trace  on  the  map  the  journey  narrated  in 
724 — 826^  and  write  a  list  of  the  places  visited  in  the 
order  in  which  they  were  visited.  See  especially  7  24,  3i  ^ 
gio,  22, 

21.  Into  what  country  does  the  portion  of  this 
journey  recorded  in  7  24-30  lead  Jesus  ? 

22.  Trace  on  the  map  the  journey  recorded  in 
8  27 — 9  50,  learn  the  names  of  the  events,  and  write  the 
names  of  the  places  visited. 

23.  In  what  general  direction  did  both  these 
journeys  lead? 

24.  Was  Jesus  chiefly  occupied  in  these  journeys 
outside  of  Galilee  with  preaching  to  the  people^  or  with 
the  instruction  of  the  disciples  ? 

25.  Concerning  what  two  things  did  he  now  for  the 
first  time  speak  plainly  to  his  disciples?  See  8 29, 30^ 
8  31;  931. 

26.  What  two  very  notable  events  of  Jesus'  ministry 
belong  to  the  second  of  these  northern  journeys  ? 

27.  What  period  of  Jesus'  ministry  ends  with  the 
end  of  chap.  9?  See  10 1  and  notes.  At  what  point  in 
the  gospel  does  the  record  of  this  period  begin  ? 

28.  Name  the  different  kinds  of  work  which  Jesus 
did  in  Galilee,  in  the  order  in  which  each  first  appears. 

29.  The  Galilean  ministry  may  be  subdivided  into 
ten  parts.  See  the  analysis.  Fix  these  ten  parts  in 
mind,  learning  a  short  title  for  each  (to  the  first  comma 
or  other  mark  of  punctuation  in  the  title  given  in  the 

'  analysis);  recall  some  of  the  events  of  each,  and  try  to 
see  how  the  work  of  Jesus  moved  on  from  stage  to 
stage.  Write  the  names  of  the  ten  parts,  from  memory 
if  possible. 


228      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 

30.  With  what  journey  is  chap.  10  occupied?  Write 
out  from  the  gospel  a  list  of  the  events  of  this  chapter, 
and  then  compare  your  list  with  that  given  in  the 
analysis. 

31.  What  three  main  divisions  of  the  gospel  occupy 
chaps.  1-10?  Fix  in  mind  the  names  of  these  divisions. 
Write  these  names,  adding  to  each  name  a  brief  state- 
ment of  the  characteristics  of  the  period. 

32.  In  what  city  and  its  suburbs  do  we  find  Jesus  in 
chaps.  11-15? 

33.  The  events  of  these  chapters  cover  approximately 
a  week,  and  Mark  has  to  a  considerable  extent  indicated 
the  events  of  these  successive  days.  What  events  does 
he  record  for  the  first  day? 

34.  What  for  the  second  day? 

35.  What  for  the  third  day? 

36.  With  what  classes  of  the  people  did  Jesus 
repeatedly  come  into  conflict  in  these  days  ?  Which  of 
these  classes  had  been  Jesus'  earliest  opponents  ? 

37.  What  was  Jesus  seeking  to  do  for  his  disciples 
in  these  three  days  ? 

38.  What  is  the  subject  of  the  discourse  in  chap.  13? 

39.  What  chapters  of  the  gospel  tell  the  story  of 
Jesus'  death  and  the  events  immediately  connected 
with  it? 

40.  Name  the  events  of  these  two  chapters. 

41.  W^hy  are  these  events  called  the  Passion  f  history? 

42.  Chap.  15,^2  shows  that  Jesus  was  crucified  on 
Friday.  On  what  day  of  the  week,  then,  was  he  tried 
before  Pilate? 

43.  On  what  night  was  he  arrested?  What  other 
events  occurred  on  the  same  night  ? 

44.  On  what  day  of  the  week  was  the  passover 
prepared  for  (14 12-16)? 


Review  Questions  on  Gospel      229 

45.  All  the  events  of  11 20— 1337  seem  to  belong  to 
one  day.  If  this  day  was  the  second  day  preceding 
that  referred  to  in  14 12  (see  14 1),  on  what  day  of  the 
week  did  these  former  events  occur? 

46.  What  events  are  then  recorded  for  Tuesday? 
What  for  Monday? 

47.  Write  down  the  several  days  of  the  week  from 
Monday  to  Friday,  and  place  under  each  the  names  of 
the  events  recorded  by  the  gospel  for  that  day.^ 

48.  Recalling,  now,  the  significance  of  the  triumphal 
entry,  of  the  cleansing  of  the  temple,  and  the  other 
leading  events  of  the  week,  try  to  give  a  descriptive 
name  to  each  day,  as,  for  example,  Monday:  A  Day  of 
Triumph  and  Assertion  of  his  Messiahship;  or  in  some 
other  way  describe  briefly  the  character  of  each  day. 

49.  What  event  is  recorded  in  lQ^-^1 

50.  Did  16  9-26  originally  belong  to  the  gospel  as 
Mark  wrote  it? 

51.  What  shows  that  Mark  did  not  intend  to  end 
his  book  with  vs.  8? 

52.  Name  the  six  great  divisions  of  the  gospel,  and 
tell  with  what  chapter  and  verse  each  division  begins 
and  ends. 

53.  By  what  names  is  Jesus  called  in  the  first  line 
of  this  gospel  ? 

54.  What  other  names  are  used  of  him  in  this  gospel  ? 

55.  Did  Jesus  announce  himself  as  the  Messiah  at 


iln  this  distribution  141,2  falls  on  Tuesday,  and  the  events  of 
11  20—13  37  on  the  same  day,  since  to  carry  them  back  to  Monday  would 
put  the  triumphal  entry  back  to  a  sabbath,  which  would  be  impossible. 
The  events  of  14  3- n  might  then  also  fall  on  Tuesday  evening,  or  on 
Wednesday.  The  gospel  of  John  seems  to  place  the  feast  in  Bethany 
before  the  triumphal  entry,  hence  on  the  sabbath ;  but  Mark,  while 
not  definitely  stating  when  it  took  place,  would  leave  us  with  the 
impression  that  it  fell  in  the  midst  of  the  week,  Tuesday  or  Wednesday. 


230     The  Gospel  accoeding  to  Mark 

the  beginnicg  of    his   ministry,  or  did  he  gradually 
prepare  people's  minds  to  see  that  he  was  the  Messiah? 

56.  What  kind  of  work  did  Jesus  do  in  Galilee 
before  he  said  distinctly  that  he  was  the  Christ  ? 

57.  What  different  effects  did  this  work  produce  on 
people's  minds  1 

58.  From  what  class  of  people  did  Jesus  draw  his 
disciples,  so  far  as  this  gospel  shows? 

59.  What  attitude  did  the  Pharisees  take  toward 
him? 

60.  What  did  Jesus  teach  in  the  parable  of  the 
Sower  and  elsewhere  concerning  the  effect  which  was 
to  be  expected  from  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  ? 

61.  W^hat  did  Jesus  perceive  would  be  the  effect  on 
him  of  the  opposition  of  the  Jews  to  him  ? 

62.  What  was  his  own  feeling  beforehand  about  his 
death?     Could  he  have  escaped  death ?     How? 

63.  What  great  principle  did  he  announce  as  the 
principle  of  his  life,  and  the  explanation  of  hjs  death 

(1045)? 

64.  What  did  he  teach  his  disciples  concerning  the 
principle  on  which  his  followers  also  must  live  (8  3i)  ? 


What  does  the  study  of  this  gospel  lead  you  to 
believe  about  Jesus,  and  how  does  it  lead  you  to  feel 
toward  him  ?  Do  you  approve  the  action  of  those  who 
accepted  and  followed  him,  or  of  those  who  rejected 
him  and  put  him  to  death  ? 

What  have  you  learned  from  this  gospel  as  to  the 
principles  on  which  a  human  life  ought  to  be  lived? 
Would  you  be  willing  to  live  your  life  on  any  other 
principles  than  those  that  Jesus  taught  and  exemplified? 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


I.  Introduction:    Preparation  for  the  Public 

Work  op  Jesus.  1 : 1-13 

Sec.     '     i.            1.  Preaching  of  John  the  Baptist.  1 : 1-8 

ii.            2.  Baptism  of  Jesus.  1 : 9-11 

iii.            3.  Temptation  in  the  Wilderness.  1 :  12, 13 

II.  The  Galilean  Ministry.  1:14—9:50 

1.  The  work  begun  and  favorably  received.  1 :  14-45 
iv.                a)  Jesus  begins  preaching  in  Galilee.  1 :  14, 15 

V.                 b)  Call  of  the  four  fishermen.  1 :  16-20 

vi.                c)  A  sabbath  in  Capernaum.  1:21-34 

vii.                 d)  A  preaching  tour  in  Galilee.  1 :  35-45 

2.  The  opposition  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees.  2 : 1—3 : 6 
viii.                 a)  A  paralytic  healed  and  his  sins  forgiven.  2:1-12 

ix.                b)  Call  of  Levi,  and  the  feast  in  his  house.  2 :  13-17 
X.                c)  Jesus'  answer   to  a   question    concerning 

fasting.  2 :  18-22 

xi.               .  d)  Plucking  grain  on  the  sabbath.  2 :  23-28 

xii.                e)  A  withered  hand  healed  on  the  sabbath.  3 : 1-6 

3.  The  beginnings  of  the  separation  between  the 
followers  of  Christ  and  the  rest  of  the  com- 
munity;   the    organization    of    the    band    of 

twelve  personal  attendants  and  helpers.  3:7-35 

xiii.                 a)  The  widespread  fame  of  Jesus.  3 : 7-12 

xiv.                b)  The  choosing  of  the  Twelve.  3 :  13-19 

XV.                 c )  Concerning  eternal  sin.  3 :  20-30 

xvi.                 d)  Natural  and  spiritual  kinsmen.  3 :  31-35 

xvii.  4.  The   parables  of   the  kingdom's  growth,   in 

which  is  also  illustrated  its  separating  power.  4 : 1-34 
5.  Sundry  manifestations  of  Jesus'  power,  which 
meet  with  varied  reception,  some  believing, 

some  unbelieving,  some  slow  to  believe.  4 :  35 — 6 : 6 
231 


232      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 


xviii.  a)  Stilling  of  the  Tempest. 

xix.  b)  The  Gerasene  demoniac. 

XX.  c)  Jairus's  daughter  raised  to  life. 

xxi.  d)  The  rejection  at  Nazareth, 

xxii.  6.  The  sending  out  of  the  Twelve  to  engage  in 

work  like  that  of  Jesus  himself. 

7.  The  continuance  by  Jesus  of  his  work  in  Gali- 
lee, with  the  reappearance  of  the  same  feat- 
ures: he  heals  .and  feeds  the  multitudes;  his 
disciples  are  slow  of  understanding:  the  mul- 
titudes follow  him;  the  Pharisees  oppose 
him. 

a)  The  feeding  of  the  five  thousand. 

b)  Jesus  walking  on  the  sea. 

c )  Many  healed  in  Galilee. 

d)  On  eating  with  unwashen  hands. 

8.  A  withdrawal  from  Galilee  into  gentile  terri- 
tory, and  the  ready  faith  which  Jesus  finds 
there. 

a)  The  Syrophoenician  woman's  daughter. 

b)  The  deaf  and  dumb  man  healed. 

9.  Further  experiences  in  Galilee,  in  which  the 
same  features  as  before  appear. 

a)  The  feeding  of  the  four  thousand. 

b)  Pharisees  demanding  a  sign  from  heaven. 

c )  A  blind  man  healed  near  Bethsaida. 
10.  A  second  withdrawal  from  Galilee:    tour  to 

Cesarea  Philippi  and  return  to  the  sea.  Jesus 
draws  out  from  Peter  the  confession  of  him  as 
the  Christ,  and  begins  to  teach  his  disciples 
concerning  his  own  sufferings,  and  the  condi- 
tions of  discipleship  to  him. 

a)  Peter's  confession  of  Jesus'  messiahship. 

b)  Jesus'   prediction  of  his  own  death   and 
resurrection. 

c )  The  transfiguration. 

d)  The  demoniac  boy  healed. 


XXlll. 

xxiv. 

XXV. 

xxvi. 


xxvii. 
xxviii. 


XXIX. 
XXX. 

xxxi. 


xxxii. 
xxxiii. 


xxxiv. 

XXXV. 


Analysis  of  the  Gospel 


233 


XXXVlll. 

xxxix. 
xl. 
xli. 

xlii. 
xliii. 
xliv. 


xlv. 

xlvi. 

xlvii. 

xlviii. 

xlix. 

1. 

li. 

Hi. 

liii. 

liv. 

Iv. 


e )  Jesus  again  foretells  his  death  and  resur- 
rection.     '  9 :  30-32 

/)  The  ambition  and  jealousy  of  the  disciples 

reproved.  9 :  33-50 

III.  The  Journey  from  Galilee  to  Judea,  and  in- 
structions on  the  way;  on  nearing  Jerusalem  he 

is  publicly  saluted  as  son  of  David.  chap.  10 

1.  Departure  from  Galilee  into  Perea.  10: 1 

2.  Concerning  divorce.  10 : 2-12 

3.  Blessing  little  children.  10:13-16 

4.  The  rich  young  man  who  had  kept  the  com- 
mandments. 10 : 17-31 

5.  Jesus'  announcement  of  his  crucifixion.  10:32-34 

6.  Ambition  of  James  and  John  reproved.  10:35-45 

7.  The  blind  man  near  Jericho  healed.  10 :  46-52 

IV.  The  Ministry  in  Jerusalem:  Jesus  causes  him- 
self to  be  announced  as  Messiah:  comes  in  con- 
flict with  the  leaders  of  the  people;  predicts  the 
downfall  of  the  Jewish  temple  and  capital.  chaps  11-13 

1.  The  triumphal  entry;  Jesus  saluted  as  Messiah.         11:1-11 

2.  The  cursing  of  the  kg  tree.  11 :  12-14 

3.  The  cleansing  of  the  temple  11 :  15-19 

4.  Comment  on  the  withered  fig  tree.  11 :  20-25 

5.  Conflict  with  the  Jewish  leaders.  11 :  27—12 :  40 

a)  Christ's  authority  challenged.  11 :  27-33 

b)  The  parable  of  the  vineyard.  12 : 1-12 

c)  Three  questions  by  the  Jewish  rulers.  12 :  13-34 

d)  Jesus'  question  concerning  David's  Eon.  12:35-37 

e )  Warning  against  the  scribes.  12 :  38-40 

6.  The  widow's  two  mites.  12 :  41-44 

7.  The  prophetic  discourse  concerning  the  down- 
fall of  the  temple  and  city.  chap.  13 


Ivi. 
Ivii. 
Iviii. 


V.  The  Passion  History.  chaps.  14, 15 

1.  The  plot  of  the  Jews.  14 : 1, 2 

2.  The  anointing  in  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper.  14 : 3-9 

3.  The  bargain  with  Judas.  14 :  10, 11 


234      The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 


lix.  4.  The  last  passover  of  Jesus^and  his  disciples.  14:12-26 

Ix.  5.  Prediction  of  Peter's  denial.  14 :  27-31 

Ixi.  6.  The  agony  in  Gethsemane.  14 :  32-42 

Ixii.  7.  The  betrayal  and  arrest.  14 :  43-52 

Ixiii.  8.  The  trial  before  the  Jewish  authorities.  14 :  53-65 

Ixiv.  9.  The  denials  of  Peter.  14:66-72 

Ixv.  10.  The  trial  before  Pilate.  15 : 1-20 

Ixvi.  11.  The  crucifixion  and  the  death  of  Jesus.  15:21-41 

Ixvii.  12.  The  burial.  15 :  42-47 

Ixviii.  VI.  The  Resurrection   op  Jesus,  attested  by  the 

empty  tomb  and  the  word  of  the  young  man.  16  : 1-8 

Ixix.  Appendix:  Summary  of  the  appearances  of  Jesus.  16:9-20 


DICTIONAKY 


Abba.  A  Hebrew  word  signify- 
ing father ;  an  expression  of  filial 
affection.    (14:36.) 

Alabaster.  A  soft  limestone  of 
light  color  found  in  large  quan- 
tities in  the  region  between  the 
Euphrates  and  Tigris  rivers  and 
in  Egypt.  It  was  easily  chiseled, 
and  was  much  used  for  making 
vases  and  vessels  for  holding  un- 
guents. The  word  is  used  also  of 
the  vessel  itself .    (14:3.) 

Andrew  A  brother  of  Simon 
Peter,  and  one  of  the  twelve 
apostles.     (1 :  14,  29 ;  3 :  18 ;  13 : 3.) 

Anoint.  To  rub  with  oil,  or  to 
pour  oil  upon.     (6:13;  14:8.) 

Arimathea.  A  Jewish  city 
whose  exact  location  is  unknown ; 
referred  to  in  the  gospels  only  as 
the  residence  of  one  Joseph  of 
Arimathea.  See  "Joseph"  in  this 
dictionary.    (15 :  43.) 

Authority.  Moral  right  to  do 
a  certain  thing,  as  to  teach,  to 
command,  to  forgive  sins.  (1 :  22 ; 
2:10;  3:15;  6:7;  10:42;  11:28,  29, 
33;  13:34.) 

Baptize.  To  dip,  immerse, 
plunge;  used  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment (a)  of  bathing  (Mark  7:4 
margin) ;  (6)  of  the  immersion  of 
a  person  in  water  as  a  religious 
rite  accompanying  confession  of 
sin  or  profession  of  faith  in 
Jesus;  (c)  figuratively,  of  the 
complete  subjection  of  one  to  the 
Holy  Spirit.  (1:4,  5,  8,  9;  7:4; 
10:38,39;  16:16.) 

Baptizer.  One  who  baptizes : 
A  title  applied  to  John,  more 
commonly  called  the  Baptist,  be- 
cause he  baptized  those  who 
accepted  his  preaching  and,  ac- 
knowledging their  sins,  sought 
forgiveness.     (6 :  14,  24. ) 

Beelzebub.  A  name  (probably 
more  correctly  written  Beelze- 
bul)  which  the  Jews  applied  to 
Satan  as  the  prince  of  the  evil 
spirits.  The  precise  sense  of  the 
word  is  not  certainly  known.    It 


perhaps  meant  "lord  of  filth," 
and  was  intended  to  express  con- 
tempt.   (3:22.) 

Bethany.  A  village  on  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  now  a  poor  Moslem  vil- 
lage of  about  forty  houses  known 
as  El  Azariyeh,  "the  place  of  Laz- 
arus." It  was  a  little  less  than 
two  miles  east  of  Jerusalem 
(John  11:18)  from  the  sight  of 
which  it  was  entirely  cut  off  by 
the  Mount  of  Olives.  See  the 
map  on  p.  151.  It  was  the  home  of 
Martha  and  Mary  and  their 
brother  Lazarus  (John  11:1,  2), 
and  it  is  natural  to  think  that  it 
was  to  their  house  that  Jesus 
went  to  spend  the  nights  after  the 
busy  and  trying  days  in  Jerusa- 
lem, in  the  week  before  his  cru- 
cifixion. John  12:1-8  tells  ex- 
pressly of  a  supper  which  was 
given  in  Jesus'  honor  in  Bethany 
and  at  which  Martha  served. 
(11:1,11,12;  14:3.) 

Bethphage.  A  village,  or  pos- 
sibly a  district,  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  and  near  Bethany ;  but  un- 
like Bethany  its  exact  location 
has  never  been  determined. 
(11:1.) 

Bethsaida.  There  is  some 
difficulty  in  determining  pre- 
cisely where  the  town  of  this 
name  referred  to  in  Mark  6:45 
was.  From  6:32  and  53  it  is 
evident  that  the^feeding  of  the 
five  thousand  took  place  across 
the  Sea  of  Galilee  from  Genne- 
saret,  and  from  vs.  45  that  it 
was  across  the  sea  from  Beth- 
saida. Since,  then,  the  tract  of 
Gennesaret  was  on  the  west  side 
of  the  sea,  we  naturally  think 
that  Bethsaida  was  on  that  side 
also.  But  the  only  Bethsaida  of 
which  we  have  certain  knowledge 
is  Bethsaida  Julias,  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Jordan  at  or  near  its 
entrance  into  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 
The  matter  might  be  explained 
by  supposing  that  the  feeding 
of  the  five  thoiisand  occurred 
farther  south  than  the  plain  of 


235 


236 


The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 


Butaiha  in  which  Bethsaida 
Julias  lay,  so  that  one  might  set 
out  from  the  place  where  it  oc- 
curred to  cross  to  Bethsaida  and 
then,  departing  somewhat  from 
the  intended  course,  arrive  at 
Gennesaret.  But  the  several  ac- 
counts in  Mark  and  the  other 
gospels  could  be  more  easily  in- 
terpreted if  we  could  suppose 
that  beside  Bethsaida  Julias,  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  sea,  there 
was  a  Bethsaida  of  Galilee  (John 
12:21)  on  the  western  side  of  the 
sea,  in  or  near  the  tract  of  Gen- 
nesaret. Many  have  supposed 
this  to  be  the  case ;  but  it  is  not 
quite  certain  whether  this  is 
really  so,  or  whether  we  must 
suppose  all  the  passages  to  refer 
to  Bethsaida  Julias,.  (6:45;  8:22.) 
Blaspheme.  To  speak  or  act 
defiantly  and  contemptuously  of 
God.     (3:28,29.) 

Camel's  hair.  The  camel  has 
both  a  long  coarse  hair  and  a 
fine  soft  hair  which  is  covered  by 
the  longer  coarser  hair.  From 
the  fine  hair  there  is  made  a  very 
fine  cloth,  such  as  is  seen  in 
camel's  hair  shawls.  From  the 
long  coarse  hair  a  very  coarse 
cloth  is  made,  which  is  used  for 
the  coarsest  kind  of  clothing  and 
for  tents.  It  is  this  latter  kind 
only  that  is  spoken  of  in  the 
Is.    (1:6.) 


Capernaum.  A  city  on  the 
northwestern  shore  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  about  the  exact  location 
of  which  there  is  difference  of 
opinion.  Probably,  however,  it 
was  at  the  place  now  known  as 
Khan-Minyeh.  It  had  a  syna- 
gogue (Luke  7:5) ;  a  detachment 
of  soldiers  was  stationed  there, 
as  is  shown  by  its  being  the  resi- 
dence of  a  centurion  (Luke  7:1,2); 
and  it  was  a  place  for  the  collec- 
tion of  duties,  probably  on  prod- 
ucts brought  across  the  sea  or 
along  the  road  that  led  past 
Khan-Minyeh  from  the  north. 
Jesus  made  it  his  home  during 
his  public  ministry.  (Matt,  4: 13.) 
(1:21:2:1:9:33.) 

Centurion.  An  officer  in  the 
Roman  army,  or  in  armies  organ- 
ized on  the  Roman  model,  in 
charge  of  a  company  of  fifty  to 


one  hundred  men ;  hence  of  nearly 
the  same  rank  and  authority  as 
a  captain  in  the  United  States 
army.     (15:39,44,45.) 

fh?%®*^.®^  ?<?^*^*PRi-    A  city  at 
the  foot  of  Mount  Hermon  (see 
the  map),   near  the  headwaters 
of  the  Banias,  one  of  the  three 
s_treams  that  unite  to  make  the 
Jordan.     Itself  1,050  feet  above 
sea-level,   snow-capped    Hermon 
towered  above  it  8,000  feet  more. 
From  the  Sea  of  Galilee  to  Her- 
mon    was    a    journey   of    about 
twenty-five    miles,  involving   an 
ascent  of  about  1,700  feet.    (8 :  27.) 
Charger.  A  platter.  (6:23,28.) 
Chief-Priests.     The  word  so 
translated  is  simply  the  plural  of 
the  word  translated  high-priest, 
bee  that  word  in  this  dictionary 
According  to  ancient  Jewish  cus- 
tom, the  high-priest  held  his  of- 
fice for  life,  so  that  there  could 
never  be   more  than  one  living 
high-priest.    In  the  time  of  Jesu«, 
fiowever,  it  had  come  to  pass  that 
the  political  authorities,  Roman 
or  Herodian,  appointed  and  re- 
moved   the   high-priest   at   will. 
Ihus  there  might  be  living  several 
men  who  had  been  high-priests, 
and  who  by  reason  of  this  fact, 
as   well   as   because    they   were 
chosen   original l;sr   from   certain 
influential  families,  were  men  of 
special  influence.    To  them  was 
applied  the  name  "high-priests  " 
or,    as   the   word    is   translated 
/?  ^."'^^I^^o^i^"'  "chief  priests." 
(8:31;  10:33;   11:18,  27;   14:1,  10, 
43,53,55;  15:1,  3,  lo]  11,  31.)  ' 

Christ.  A  title  employed  in 
Jsew  Testament  times  to  desig- 
nate the  deliverer  whom  many 
among  the  Jewish  people  were 
expecting  to  come  and  save  their 
nation.  From  very  ancient  times 
the  Jewish  prophets  had  taught 
the  people  to  look  forward  to  a 
time  of  prosperity  and  blessing 
m  the  future.  Especially  in  times 
of  evil  or  distress  did  the  proph- 
ets insist  that  God  would  deliver 
and  bless  his  people,  though  they 
often  coupled  with  this  the  an- 
nouncement that  the  people  must 
first  be  chastened  by  aflfliction 
because  of  their  sins.  In  some  of 
these  predictions  of  the  prophets 


Dictionary 


237 


it  is  said  that  this  deliverance 
will  come  through  David,  or  the 
son  of  David,  or  a  personal  de- 
liverer otherwise  described.  In 
the  course  of  time  the  general 
hope  of  deliverance  tended  more 
and  more  to  assume  the  personal 
form,  and  in  Jesus'  day,  and 
just  before  that  time,  the  word 
"Christ,"  which,  like  its  Hebrew 
equivalent,  "Messiah,"  means 
"anointed,"  and  conveys  a  refer- 
ence to  the  fact  that  a  king  was 
inducted  into  office  by  being 
anointed  (1  Sam.  16 : 1, 3, 13),  came 
to  be  a  common  title,  apparently 
the  most  common  title,  to  desig- 
nate this  hoped-for  savior  of  the 
nation. 

Different  people  evidently  had 
very  different  ideas  of  what  the 
Messiah  would  do,  when  became. 
Some  emphasized  the  righteous- 
ness of  his  character  and  of  his 
reign ;  others,  the  political  deliv- 
erance of  the  nation  from  the 
Roman  power;  others,  the  pun- 
ishment which  he  would  inflict 
upon  the  wicked.  Apparently  no 
one  thought  of  the  work  of  the 
Chr i  st  just  as  Jesus  did,  and  least 
of  all  dreamed  that  it  involved 
suffering,  rejection,  and  death. 

This  word,  with  the  article, 
"the  Christ,"  at  first  simply  a 
title  for  the  expected  deliverer 
without  reference  to  who  he  was 
personally  (as  we  might  say,  "it 
is  the  duty  of  the  president  to  do 
this,"  without  reference  to  who 
might  at  the  moment  fill  the 
president's  chair,  or  even  in  ad- 
vance of  the  election  of  a  presi- 
dent), was  naturally  applied  to 
Jesus  when  his  disciples  came 
distinctly  to  recognize  him  as  the 
Messiah  (see  Mark  8: 29).  Still 
later,  used  alone,  or  combined 
with  the  name  "Jesus,"  it  became 
almost  a  personal  name,  like 
Jesus  itself,  yet  perhaps  always 
retaining  in  the  New  Testament 
a  reminiscence  of  its  meaning  as 
a  title.  Of  this  later  usage,  how- 
ever, we  have  only  a  trace  in 
Mark's  gospel.  In  12 :  35 ;  13  :  21 ; 
14:61  it  is  purely  a  title,  not 
designating  Jesus  personally,  but 
the  Messiah  without  reference  to 
his  personal  identity.  In  8 :  29  we 
have  Peter's  acknowledgment 
that  Jesus  is  this  expected  de- 


liverer, and  in  15  :  32  an  ironical 
acknowledgment  by  those  who 
did  not  at  all  accept  him  as 
Messiah.  Chap.  1:1  and  9:41 
reflect  the  later  usage.  (1 : 1 ;  8 :  29  ; 
9:41;  12: 35;  13:  21;  14:  61;  15: 32.) 

Compassion.  Kindly,  sympa- 
thetic feeling  toward  those  in 
suffering,  such  as  leads  one  to 
wish  to  help  them.  (1:41;  6:34: 
8:2;  9:22.) 

Confess.  To  acknowledge ;  as 
one's  own  conduct,  especially 
one's  sins  (1:5);  or  another  per- 
son, i.  e.,  his  authority  or  good- 
ness, or  relationship  to  one  (Matt. 
10:32). 

Corban.  Properly  a  gift ;  and, 
by  usage,  a  gift  devoted  to  God. 
Yet  with  extraordinaryperversity 
the  Pharisees  held  that  a  man 
might  by  applying  to  his  property 
the  term  "Corban"  exclude  it 
from  the  use  of  a  particular  per- 
son, but  retain  it  for  himself. 
(7:11.  See  Edersheim,  Life  of 
JesMS,Vol.  II,  pp.  19ff.) 

Councillor.  A  member  of  the 
Sanhedrin.  See  also  "Sanhedrin." 
(15:43.) 

Crucify.  To  put  to  death  on 
a  cross.  The  cross  was  a  Roman, 
not  a  Jewishj  instrument  of  exe- 
cuting criminals,  and  was  the 
most  disgraceful,  as  it  was  one  of 
the  most  painful,  instruments  of 
torture  and  death  in  use  among 
the  Romans.  The  condemned 
man  was  fastened  by  nails,  or 
otherwise  to  a  cross-piece,  which 
was  then  drawn  up  by  a  rope  and 
fastened  to  the  upright  post  al- 
ready fixed  in  the  ground.  The 
weight  of  the  body  rested  on  a 
peg  driven  into  the  upright  post, 
but  nails  were  also  driven 
through  the  feet.  Death  resulted 
from  starvation  or  pain.  (15:13, 
14,  20,  24,  27.) 

Cyrene.  The  chief  city  in 
Libya,  in  Africa,  but  inhabited 
by  Greeks,  among  whom  were  not 
a  few  Jews.  (15:21.) 

Dalpaanutha.  A  citv  on  the 
shore  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  the 
precise  location  of  which  has 
never  been  determined.  It  was 
most  probably  on  the  southwest- 
ern shore  of  the  sea.    (8 :  10.) 


238     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 


Decapolis.  A  name  applied  to 
a  region  in  which  were  located 
ten  Greek  cities,  which  had  been 
established  since  the  days  of 
Alexander's  conquest,  and  which 
had  in  the  days  of  Jesus  recently 
formed  a  league.  The  cities  in- 
cluded Gadara,  Gerasa,  Philadel- 
phia, Scythopolis,  and  others,  all 
but  Scythopolis,  the  capital  of 
the  confederation,  lying  east  of 
the  Jordan.    (5:  20;  7:  31.) 

Demon,  demoniac,  de- 
moniacal possession.  See 
"Devil." 

Devil.  There  are  two  words 
which  are  translated  "devil"  or 
"devils"  in  the  New  Testament, 
which  really  have  different  mean- 
ings. The  one  of  these,  used  only 
in  the  singular,  refers  to  the  great 
evil  spirit,  called  also  Satan,  and 
the  tempter.  In  this  sense  there 
is  but  one  devil  spoken  of  in  the 
New  Testament.  The  other  word, 
for  which  you  will  always  find  in 
the  margin  of  the  Revised  Version 
the  word  "  demon,"  is  used  either 
in  the  singular  or  the  plural,  and 
denotes  one  of  those  malicious 
spirits  who  were  believed  by  the 
Jews  and  many  other  peoples  to 
plague  and  torment  men  by 
taking  possession  of  them  and 
making  them  sick  or  insane.  Of 
these  malicious  spirits,  Satan 
was  thought  of  as  the  prince. 
Jesus  and  the  Evangelists  speak 
after  the  custom  of  the  time.  If 
Jesus  had  any  different  thought 
on  the  subject,  he  did  not  think 
it  worth  while  to  attempt  to  cpm- 
municate  it  to  his  d*isciples  or 
the  people.  Yet  it  is  to  be  noticed 
that,  while  Jesus  always  con- 
demns sin,  and  the  yielding  to 
temptation,  he  treats  the  de- 
moniacs, those  who  were  pos- 
sessed of  demons  (unclean 
spirits),  as  unfortunate  beings  to 
be  pitied  and  helped,  rather  than 
as  in  any  special  sense  sinners. 
Whatever  was  the  cause  of  the 
peculiar  and  sad  condition  of  the 
,  demoniacs,  there  is  nothing  in 
Jesus'  treatment  of  them  to  sug- 
gest that  they  were  peculiarly 
sinful.  The  men  whom  he  un- 
sparingly condemned  were  not 
demoniacs,  but  men  who  in  pos- 
session of  their  senses  were  doing 


wrong,  and  in  this  sense  "chil- 
dren of  the  devil."  (1 :32,  34,  39; 
3:1.5,  22;  .5:1.5,  16,  18;  6:13;  7:26, 
29,30;  16:9,17.) 

Elders .  Properly  "older 
men ;  "  but  in  the  New  Testament 
usually  an  official  title.  It  is 
used  in  four  different  senses.  In 
Mark  7:3,  5,  it  means  the  an- 
cients, the  forefathers  of  those 
then  living.  In  Mark  8 :  31 ;  11 :  27 ; 
11:43,  53;  15:1,  it  designates  the 
members  of  the  great  Sanhedrin 
(see  "  Sanhedrin  "  in  this  diction- 
ary) or  those  among  them  who, 
being  neither  scribes  nor  priests, 
owed  their  position  to  their  per- 
sonal reputation.  In  Luke  7 :3  it 
refers  to  members  of  the  local 
council  having  in  charge  the  syn- 
agogue and  local  public  affairs 
generally.  In  the  book  of  Acts 
and  the  epistles  it  usually  re- 
fers to  the  men  who  presided 
over  Christian  churches,  having 
somewhat  the  same  office  as 
those  whom  we  commonly  call 
pastors.  (7:3,  5;  8:31;  11:27; 
14:43,53;  15:1.) 

Eternal.  The  word  so  trans- 
lated in  the  New  Testament  is 
derived  from  a  (rreek  word  mean- 
ing age,  or  period  of  time,  and 
then  an  unlimited  period,  and  it- 
self means  continuing  without 
limit  (except  such  as  lies  in  the 
nature  of  the  thing  to  which  the 
adjective  is  applied).  It  is  used 
in  Mark  both  of  sin  (or  its  pun- 
ishment) (3:29),  and  of  life 
(10: 17,  30).  See  the  word  "Life" 
in  this  dictionary. 

Faith.  Belief,  confidence, 
trust.  The  faith  commonly  spoken 
of  in  the  gospels  is  a  belief  that 
Jesus  can  do  a  certain  thing 
(sometimes  one  thing,  sometimes 
another;  see  Mark  4:40;  Matt. 
9 :  28,  29 ;  Luke  7 :  50)  such  as  led 
him  who  had  it  to  come  to  Jesus 
and  commit  his  case  to  him.  To 
such  faith  Jesus  always  re- 
sponded by  doing  that  which  men 
believed  he  could  do.  Faith  in 
God  is  a  like  confidence  that  God 
can  and  will  do  for  him  who  be- 
lieves that  which  he  believes  (see 
Mark  11: 22, 23),  or  a  more  general 
confidence  in  God's  fatherly  good- 
ness and  love,  and  t'rust  that 
he  will  do  for  us  what  we  need 


DiCTIONAKY 


239 


( Luke  12 :  22-30 ;  cf.  Matt.  7 :  7-11) . 
Jesus  constantly  sought  to  lead 
men  to  have  such  faith  in  him 
and  in  God.  A  mere  belief  that 
something  is  true,  which  belief 
in  no  way  afPects  one's  actions, 
is  never  in  the  gospels  called 
faith.  (2:5;  4:40;  5:34;  10:52; 
11:22.) 

Forgive.  To  forgive  a  person 
is  to  cease  to  take  account  of  the 
wrong  which  he  has  done  one, 
either  judicially,  by  releasing 
him  from  the  penalty  of  his  sin, 
or  personally  by  ceasing  to  cher- 
ish any  anger  against  him  and 
taking  him  again  into  one's 
favor.  To  forgive  sins  is  to  cease 
to  take  account  of  them  either  as 
requiring  punishment  or  as 
ground  of  anger  against  the  of- 
fender. (2:7,  9,  10;  3:28;  4:12; 
11:25,  26.) 

Forgiveness  of  Sins.  Re- 
lease of  the  wrong-doer  from 
penalty  and  restoration  to  favor. 
(3:29.) 

Galilee.  The  northern  portion 
of  Palestine  west  of  the  Jordan. 
It  was  bounded  on  the  west  by 
Phoenicia,  on  the  north  by  Syria, 
on  the  east  by  the  Jordan  River 
and  the  east  shore  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  on  the  south  by  Samaria. 
Together  with  Perea  (the  south- 
ern part  of  Palestine  east  of  the 
Jordan),  it  was  ruled  in  the  time 
of  Jesus  by  Herod  Antipas  the 
tetrarch,  who  held  his  authority, 
however,  subject  to  the  consent 
of  the  Romans,  who  at  this  time 
ruled  almost  the  whole  civilized 
world.  The  entire  area  of  Gali- 
lee was  about  1,600  square  miles. 
It  was  thickly  populated,  mainly 
with  Jews,  but  contained  a  good 
many  gentiles  also.  The  people 
were  somewhat  less  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  priests  and  rabbis 
than  those  of  Jerusalem  and 
Judea.  (1:9,  14,  39;  3:7;  6:21; 
9:30:  14:28;  15:41;  16:7.) 

Galilee,  Sea  of.  A  beautiful 
lake  thirteen  miles  long  from 
north  to  south,  and  eight  miles 
wide  at  its  greatest  width,  near 
the  north  end.  The  Jordan  River 
flows  into  it  from  the  north  end, 
and  out  again  at  the  south.  The 
whole  Jordan  valley  lies  very  low, 


and  the  Sea  of  Galilee  lies  682 
feet  below  the  sea-level,  and  even 
more  than  this  below  the  adja- 
cent hills  of  Galilee.  Partly  be- 
cause of  this  position,  it  is  now, 
and  must  always  have  been,  sub- 
ject to  sudden  and  severe  storms. 
In  ancient  times  there  were 
several  flourishing  cities  on  its 
shores,  particularly  the  western ; 
the  lake  abounded  in  fish,  and  a 
considerable  business  was  carried 
on  upon  its  waters  and  along  its 
shores.  No  small  part  of  Jesus' 
evangelistic  work  in  Galilee  was 
done  on  and  near  this  body  of 
water.    (1:16;  7:31.) 

Gentiles.  Nations,  the  term 
applied  by  the  Jews  to  other 
peoples  than  Jews;  sometimes 
used  with  nearly  the  meaning 
that  we  express  by  the  word 
"  heathen,"  foreign  people  who 
follow  a  false  religion.  (7 :  26 ;  10 : 
33,  42.) 

Gethsemane.  A  place,  r.e.,  a 
field  or  an  estate,  on  the  Mount 
of  Oliveg.  The  word  means  "  the 
oil  press."  The  expression  "Gar- 
den of  Gethsemane  "  does  not  oc- 
cur in  the  New  Testament,  but 
arises  from  the  combination  of 
Mark  14:32  and  John  18:1.  The 
traditional  site  of  Gethsemane  is 
in  a  grove  of  very  ancient  olive 
trees  on  the  western  slope  of  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  just  above  the 
valley  of  the  Kidron.     (14 :  32.) 

God,  Kingdom  of.  See  "  King- 
dom of  God." 

Golgotha.  "Place  of  a  Skull." 
"Why  the  place  of  Jesus'  crucifix- 
ion was  so  called  is  not  certainly 
known.  Three  views  are  held: 
(1)  that  it  was  derived  from  a 
tradition  that  the  skull  of  Adam 
was  preserved  in  the  place;  (2) 
that  it  was  so  called  because  it 
was  the  public  place  of  execu- 
tions and  abounded  with  the 
skulls  of  executed  criminals;  (3) 
because  Golgotha  in  some  fashion 
or  other  resembled  a  human 
skull.  The  third  is  the  most 
generally  accepted  view,  though 
scholars  are  now  inclined  to 
the  first.  There  has  been  much 
discussion  as  to  the  location 
of  Golgotha.  It  was  outside 
the    "  second "   city  wall    (John 


240    The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 


19:20),  but  it  is  difficult  to  deter- 
mine precisely  where  the  wall 
was  then,  A  church  called  the 
Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher 
was  centuries  later  built,  and 
still  stands  over  the  traditional 
site,  within  the  present  city 
walls.  Many,  however,  think  the 
true  site  is  north  of  the  city,  iust 
outside  of  the  present  wall,  a 
skull-like  hill  in  which  is  the  so- 
called  Jeremiah's  Grotto.  (15 :22.) 

Gospel.  Good  news,  the  facts 
about  Jesus  and  the  kingdom  of 
God,  which  are  good  news  to 
men,  because  they  tell  them  how 
they  may  be  saved.  In  modern 
times  the  word  is  also  used  of 
the  book  which  contains  the 
story  of  Jesus'  life ;  but  it  is  not 
so  used  in  the  New  Testament. 
Even  in  the  titles  of  our  "gos- 
pels," which  were  added  by  copy- 
ists, not  by  the  author,  the  book 
is  called,  not  "the  Gospel  of 
Mark,"  etc.,  but  "  the  Gospel  ac- 
cording to  Mark,"  meaning  "the 
good  news  as  recorded  by  Mark," 
etc.  (1:1,  14,  15;  8:35;  10:29; 
13:10;  14:9;  16:15.) 

Halt.  Having  a  halting  gait; 
lame.    (9:45.) 

Head   of  the    Corner.     The 

corner-stone,  which,  binding  to- 
gether the  two  walls  which  meet 
at  the  corner,  occupies  a  place  of 
special  prominence  and  impor- 
tance.    (12:10.) 

Hell.  The  word  so  translated 
in  Mark  9:43,  45^  47,  is,  in  Greek, 
Gehenna.  This  is  in  turn  taken 
from  a  Hebrew  expression  mean- 
ing the  valley  of  Hinnom.  This 
valley,  lying  on  the  south  and 
east  of  Jerusalem,  was  employed 
as  a  place  for  the  throwing  of 
refuse  and  the  dead  bodies  of 
animals  and  criminals.  It  is 
supposed  that  fires  were  always 
kept  burning  for  the  purpose  of 
consuming  these  bodies.  But 
whether  so  or  not,  the  name 
came  by  reason  of  the  association 
with  it,  to  be  used  of  the  place 
of  the  punishment  of  the  wicked 
after  death,  and  in  this  sense  it 
is  always  used  in  our  gospel.  In 
Matt.  5:22  it  is  called  "the 
Gehenna  of  fire."  (9:43;  4:5; 
4:7.) 


Herod.  Three  men  of  the 
name  Herod  are  mentioned  in  tha 
New  Testament:  (1)  Herod  the 
Great,  who  when  Jesus  was  born 
(see  Matt.  2:1)  was,  as  he  had 
been  for  nearly  forty  years,  king 
of  all  Palestine  (including  Judea, 
Samaria,  Galilee,  and  the  laid 
east  of  the  Jordan) ;  he  died  in 
the  year  750  A.  U.  C,  which  ac- 
cording to  the  established  method 
of  reckoning  is  4  B.  C,  but  after 
the  birth  of  Jesus,  the  date  of 
which  according  to  the  same 
method  of  reckoningissomewhere 
between  7  and  4  B.  C.  (2)  Herod 
Antipas,  son  of  Herod  the  Great, 
and  tetrarch  of  Galilee  and 
Perea^rom  the  death  of  his  fath- 
er in  4  B.  C.  to  39  A.  D.;  (3) 
Herod  Agrippa  I.,  grandson  of 
Herod  the  Great  and  nephew  of 
Herod  Antipas,  who  died  in  44 
A.  D.  (Acts  12 : 1,  21-23).  The  sec- 
ond of  these  is  spoken  of  in  the 
gospel  of  Mark.  The  title  of  King 
given  to  him  in  6 :  14  was  probably 
his  simply  by  courtesy,  his  legal 
title  being  tetrarch.  Like  all  the 
Herods,  he  held  his  government 
subject  to  the  consent  of  Rome. 
Though  less  cruel  than  his  brother 
Archelaus  (Matt.  2:22),  and  in 
many  respects  a  good  ruler,  he 
was  a  man  devoid  of  moral  pur- 
pose or  principles.  Politically 
Jesus  was  a  subject  of  Herod 
Antipas,  his  home  being  in  Gali- 
lee. (6:14,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  22; 
8:15.) 

Herodians.  Partisans  of  tl  e 
Herodian  family.  When  Herod 
the  Great  (see  preceding  article) 
died  his  territory  was  divided 
among  his  sons,  who  like  their 
father  exercised  their  rule  by 
the  permission  and  subject  to  the 
higher  power  of  Rome.  Arche- 
laus, who  ruled  in  Judea,  Sama- 
ria, and  Idumea,  was  deposed 
after  ten  years  for  misrule,  and  a 
Roman  governor  (procurator) 
was  put  in  his  place.  Thus  when 
Jesus  was  preaching,  Pilate,  a 
Roman  procurator,  was  in  au- 
thority in  Judea,  while  Herod 
Antipas,  son  of  Herod  the  Great, 
still  ruled  in  Galilee.  Many  of 
the  Jews  wished  to  throw  off  all 
foreign  rule  and  be  independent 
as  they  were  in  the  days  of  David 


DiOTIONAEY 


241 


and  Solomon.  Others  preferred 
the  direct  rule  of  Rome  to  that  of 
the  Herods.  The  Herodians  were 
apparently  — for  we  know  but 
little  about  them  —  those  who  fa- 
vored the  rule  of  the  Herods. 
(.3:6;  12:13.) 

High-priest.  At  the  head  of 
the  great  company  of  priests  re- 
quired for  the  carrying  on  of 
the  temple  worship  stood  the 
"anointed"  priest  (Lev.  4:3,  5, 
16),  or  the  "high-priest"  (Lev. 
21:10;  Numb.  3.5:25,  28),  who  held 
his  office  for  life  (as  implied  in 
Numb.  3.5:25,  28),  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son  (Lev.  16:32). 
The  duties  of  the  office,  as  de- 
scribed in  the  Old  Testament, 
were  wholly  religious  (see,  e.  .gr., 
Lev.,  chap.  16,  and  cf.  Heb.  9 :1  ff . ), 
and  the  office  was  regarded  as 
hereditary  in  the  family  of  Aaron. 
But  in  the  days  of  the  Hasmo- 
nean  rulers  (second  century  B.  C.) 
it  passed  into  the  family  of  the 
Hasmoneans,  being  combined 
with  that  of  civil  and  military 
ruler,  but  was  still  held  for  life 
and  passed  from  father  to  son. 
Under  the  Herods,  however,  and 
the  Romans  (see  "Herodians") 
the  high-priest  was  appointed 
and  removed  at  the  will  of  the 
Herods  or  the  Roman  authorities. 
The  duties  of  the  high-priest  in 
Jesus'  time  were  partly  religious 
and  partly  governmental.  He 
was  the  presiding  officer  of  the 
Sanhedrin,  and  as  such  presided 
at  the  trial  of  Jesus  by  the  Jewish 
authorities.  (2:26;  14:47;  5,3,  54, 
60,  61,  63,  66.  See  "  Sanhedrin  '* 
and  "Chief-priests.") 

Hinnom.    See  "Hell. 

Holy  Spirit.  The  Spirit  of  God, 
God  as  he  manifests  himself  in 
the  hearts  and  to  the  minds  of 
men.     (1:8;  3:29;  12:  36;  13:11.) 

Hosanna.  A  Hebrew  expres- 
sion, meaning,  "  Oh  save  now," 
which  came  to  be  used  in  song  or 
praise  services.    (11 : 9, 10.) 

House.  The  houses  of  the 
poorer  people  of  Palestine  were 
(and  still  are)  of  but  one  story, 
and  often  of  but  a  single  room. 
They  were  built  of  a  mixture  of 
straw  and  mud  plastered  over  a 
frame  work  of  posts  and  wicker 


work.  The  walls  and  roof, 
though  a  foot  or  more  thick, 
were  not  very  hard,  and  so  were 
easily  damaged  by  rains,  and 
could  be  easily  dug  through  (see 
Mark  2:4).  The  roof  was  fiat 
and  was  reached  by  stairs  run- 
ning from  the  street.  Such  a 
house  would  have  but  one  door, 
and  the  windows  would  be  lat- 
ticed, not  glazed,  and  small,  to 
exclude  the  summer  heat. 

The  roof  of  such  a  house  was 
used  as  a  place  of  retirement 
(Acts  10:9).  Sometimes  a  booth 
of  boughs  was  built  upon  it  in 
summer.  And  again  a  more  or 
less  substantial  and  permanent 
roof  might  be  placed  over  the 
main  roof  of  the  house,  giving  a 
large  upper  room  (Mark  14:15), 
or  a  walled  chamber  might  be 
built  over  a  portion  of  it  (2  Kings 
4:2). 

Houses  of  a  better  class  were 
built  around  a  court,  which  was 
reached  from  the  street  by  a 
passage-way  between  the  rooms, 
and  closed  at  the  street  end  by  a 
dooror  doors  as  intheillustration, 

GENERAL  PLAN  OF  AN  ORIENTAL 
HOUSE  BUILT  ABOUT  A  COURT. 


R 

R 

R 

C 

R 

P 

R 

S 

if 

s 

S:  street.  P;  passageway  from  the  street 
to  the  court.  G:  gates.  C:  court,  un- 
roofed.    R,  R,  R,  R,  R,  rooms. 

On  this  inner  court  all  the 
rooms  opened,  and  from  it  they 
gained  their  light  and  air. 

Still  more  elegant  houses  would 
have  two  or  more  such  courts, 
connected  together;   and  would 


242    The  Gospel  accoeding  to  Mark 


be  built  in  two  stories,  and   of 
stone. 

(1:29;  2:1,  11,  15,  26;  3:20,  25, 
27;  5:19,  35,  38;  6:4,  10;  7:17,  24, 
30;  9: 28,  33;  10: 10, 29;  11: 17;  13:15, 
34,  a5;  14:3,14.) 

Inheritance.  Property  re- 
ceived, or  to  be  received,  by 
transmission  from  a  relative, 
especially  a  father.  In  Mark 
12:7  it  denotes  the  property 
which  would  fall  to  the  son  in 
the  parable,  but  which  the  ser- 
vants thought  to  acquire  by  kill- 
ing the  heir.    (12 : 7.) 

James.  The  Gospel  of  Mark 
speaks  of  three  men  who  bore 
this  name:  (1)  James  the  son  of 
Zebedee  and  brother  of  John 
(1:19,  29;  3:17;  5:37;  9:2;  10:35, 
41;  13:3;  14:33);  (2)  James  the 
son  of  Alpheus,  called  also  the 
less  (3:18;  15:40);  and  (3)  James 
the  brother  of  Jesus  (6:3). 

Jericho.  A  city  in  the  Jordan 
valley,  five  miles  west  of  the 
river,  about  seven  miles  from  the 
Dead  Sea,  and  500  feet  higher 
than  the  latter,  but  8(X)  feet  lower 
than  the  Mediterranean.  It  must 
always  have  been  a  very  hot 
place.  It  is  often  mentioned  in 
the  Old  Testament  from  the  time 
of  its  conquest  by  Joshua  on.  It 
has  been  repeatedly  destroyed, 
and  the  modern  town,  called 
Eriha.  is  not  exactly  on  the  site 
of  either  the  Old  Testament  or 
the  New  Testament  city.    ( 10 :  46. ) 

John.  The  Gospel  mentions 
two  persons  of  this  name:  (1) 
John  the  Baptist  (1:4,  6,  9,  14; 
2:18;  6:14-25;  8:28;  11:30,  32); 
and  (2)  John  the  son  of  Zebedee 
(1:19,  29;  3:17;  5:37;  9:2,38;  10: 
35,41;  13:3;  14:33). 

Jordan  Biver.  The  largest 
stream  in  Palestine,  and  remark- 
able among  the  rivers  of  the 
world  for  running  in  so  large  a 
part  of  its  course  below  sea-level. 
It  is  formed  from  the  junction  of 
three  streams,  all  of  which  flow 
from  springs  on  the  slopes  or  at 
the  base  of  Mount  Hermon.  The 
river  descends  rapidly  to  the  Sea 
of  Galilee,  which  is  682  feet  be- 
low sea-level,  and  thence  in  a 
winding  and  descending  course 
to  the  Dead  Sea,  which  is  nearly 


1,300  feet  below  the  sea-level. 
The  mountains  on  each  side  rise 
far  above  sea-level.  The  river 
thus  runs  in  a  deep  valley,  the 
southern  portion  of  which  espe- 
cially is  extremely  hot,  from  the 
Sea  of  Galilee  to  the  Dead  Sea, 
a  muddy  stream  within  banks 
of  mud.  From  its  remotest 
source  to  the  Sea  of  Galilee  is 
about  35  miles ;  from  the  Sea  of 
Galilee  to  the  Dead  Sea  about  65 
miles  in  an  air-line,  but  much 
farther  as  the  river  winds.  (1 : 5, 
9;  3:8;  10:1.) 

Joseph  of  Arimathea.  A 
member  of  the  Jewish  Sanhedrin 
who,  though  a  disciple  of  Jesus, 
feared  to  announce  himself  as 
such.  (See  Matt.  27 :  57-60 ;  Mark 
15 :  42-46 ;  Luke  23 :  50-53 ;  John 
19:38-42.) 

Joses.  Two  men  of  this  name 
are  mentioned  in  this  Gospel :  (1) 
a  brother  of  Jesus  (G:3);  (2)  a 
brother  of  James  the  less  (15 :  40). 

JudaSo  Two  men  of  this  name 
are  mentioned  in  this  Gospel:  (1) 
Judas  Iscariot,  one  of  the  Twelve, 
who  also  betrayed  Jesus  (3:19; 
14:10,  43);  (2)  a  brother  of  Jesus 
(6:3). 

Judea.  The  southern  portion 
of  Palestine,  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Samaria,  on  the  east  by 
Perea  and  the  Dead  Sea,  on  the 
south  by  Idumea,  and  on  the 
west  by  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 
Together  with  Idumea  and  Sama- 
ria it  was  given  by  Herod  the 
Great  to  his  son  Archelaus,  who 
ruled  it  from  4  B.  C.  to  6  A.  D.  In 
the  latter  year  these  territories 
were  made  a  Roman  province 
under  a  Roman  procurator. 
Jerusalem  was  its  capital,  and, 
by  reason  of  the  presence  in  it  of 
the  priests  and  scribes,  its  inhab- 
itants were  much  more  under  the 
control  of  the  Jewish  leaders 
than  those  of  Galilee.  (1:5;  3:7; 
10:1;  13:14.) 

Kingdom  of  God.  The  reign 
of  God  among  men;  that  state  of 
human  society  in  which  God's 
will  is  obeyed.  In  a  sense  the 
"  kingdom  of  God "  has  always 
been  in  the  world,  since  God  has 
always  been  present  in  the  world 
influencing    men's    hearts    and 


Dictionary 


243 


lives,  and  there  have  always  been 
men  who  have  sought  to  do  God's 
will.  But  the  prophets  and  pious 
men  of  Israel  were  always  hoping 
for  a  time  in  which  God's  will 
should  be  more  fully  done,  and 
men  should  be  correspondingly 
better  and  happier.  It  was  this 
better  state  of  human  society  of 
which  Jesus  spoke  when  he  said 
that  the  kingdom  was  near  (1  :r2), 
and  to  enter  into  the  kingdom 
meant  to  have  part  in  it  and  its 
blessings  (10:15).  Many  of  the 
Jews  of  Jesus'  day  were  looking 
for  the  coming  of  the  kingdom, 
expecting  it  in  connection  with 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah  as  a 
civil  ruler  in  Jerusalem.  Some 
emphasized  the  righteousness 
with  which  he  would  rule,  others 
the  material  prosperity  which  he 
would  bring  or  his  victory  over 
those  whom  they  regarded  as  the 
oppressors  of  the  nation.  But 
probably  none  of  them  looked  for 
a  kingdom  so  wholly  moral  and 
spiritual  in  its  aims  as  that  which 
Jesus  came  to  found.  (1:15; 
4:11,  26,30;  9:1,47;  10:14,15,23, 
24,25;  12:34;  14:25;  15:43.) 

Xjamp.  TheancientPalestinian 
lamp  was  frequently  only  an 
earthenware  bowl  in  which  olive 
oil  was  poured;  one  end  of  a 
twisted  wick  of  flax  was  then  in- 
serted in  the  bowl  and  the  other 
lying  on  the  edge  of  the  bowl  was 
lighted.  The  bowl  was  sometimes 
made  with  a  closed  top  with  two 
openings,  one  in  the  center,  and 
one  in  the  projecting  end  for  the 
wick.  (4:21.)  See  the  illustration, 
p.  53. 

Lamp-stand.  The  place  for 
setting  the  lamp,  probably  some- 
times a  projection  on  the  wall  or 
the  window-ledge,  sometimes  a 
simple  portable  stand.     (4 :  21. ) 

Leper.  One  afflicted  with  the 
disease  called  leprosy,  which, 
though  in  its  early  stages  not 
easily  distinguished  from  com- 
paratively harmless  skin  diseas- 
es, became  ulcerous,  painful,  and 
loathsome,  and  was  almost  al- 
ways fatal.  It  was  regarded  as 
contagious,  and  excluded  the  suf- 
erer  from  society  as  well  as  made 
him  ceremonially  unclean.  (See 
Lev.,  chaps.  13,  14.)     (1:40;  14:3.) 


Levi  (2:14).    See  "Matthew." 

Life.  There  ,are  two  different 
words  for  life  in  the  gospel  of 
Mark.  One  of  them  denotes  ex- 
istence according  to  the  highest, 
true  ideal  of  existence  for  a  moral 
being— the  state  of  being  in  which 
men  are  what  they  ought  to  be 
and  enjoy  what  it  is  good  and  de- 
sirable to  enjoy.  (9 :  43,  45 ;  10 :  17, 
30.)  It  is  life  in  this  sense  that 
is  eternal. 

The  other  signifies  that  in  man 
which  distinguishes  him  from  a 
dead  or  inanimate  thing,  and  in 
effect  in  certain  connections  in- 
cludes all  the  energies  and  pow- 
ers of  a  living  being.  (3:4;  8 :  35, 
36,37;  10:45;  12:30;  14:34.) 

In  effect,  though  not  m  just 
these  words,  Jesus  says  in  8:35, 
36 ;  9 :  43,  45,  that  life  in  the  latter 
sense  is  to  be  sacrificed,  if  need 
be,  that  we  may  enter  into  life  in 
the  former  sense.  He  himself 
gave  his  life  (in  the  second  sense) 
that  he  might  give  life  (in  the 
first  sense)  to  others ;  and  this  too 
he  teaches  his  followers  to  do. 

Locust.  The  term  "locust," 
as  used  in  the  Bible,  is  a  general 
word  for  any  insect  of  the  family 
to  which  our  common  grasshop- 
per belongs,  as  well  as  the  locusts 
which  occasionally  sweep  across 
our  western  prairies,  destroying 
everything  green  before  them. 
The  Arabs  of  today  eat  the  locusts 
prepared  in  various  ways,  espe- 
cially fried  in  oil.  Experiments 
have  shown  that  the  grasshopper 
of  our  western  prairie  is  also  eat- 
able. The  notion  that  the  locusts 
that  John  the  Baptist  ate  were  a 
vegetable  pod  is  an  entire  mis- 
take.   (1:6.) 

Maimed.  Crippled,  mutilated 
by  the  loss  of  some  member  of 
the  body.     (9:43.) 

Market-place.  An  open  place 
either  on  the  edge  of  the  town,  at 
the  gate,  or  within  the  town, 
where  the  people  were  accus- 
tomed to  assemble ;  used  for  pub- 
lic meetings  and  for  the  trans- 
action of  business,  such  as  hiring 
servants  or  laborers,  buying,  sel- 
ling, etc.     (6:56;  7:4;  12:38.) 

Matthew.  Called  also  Levi. 
A  publican  (see  the  word  "  Pub- 


244     The  Gospel  accoeding  to  Mark 


lican"  in  this  dictionary)  who 
became  a  disciple  of  Jesus  and 
was  chosen  as  one  of  the  Twelve 
(3:18).  It  is  to  him  that  our  first 
Gospel  is  ascribed  by  ancient 
tradition. 

Mount  of  Olives.  A  hill  lying 
east  of  Jerusalem,  from  which  it  is 
separated  by  the  valley  of  the  Kid- 
ron.  Being  higher  (2,600  to  2,824 
feet  above  sea  level)  than  the  city 
itself,  from  it  one  could  look  down 
upon  Jerusalem  and  the  temple 
(2,440  feet  above  sea  level).  On 
its  eastern  slope  was  the  village 
of  Bethany,  having  no  view  of  the 
city  because  of  the  intervening 
ridge.  On  its  western  slope  was 
Gethsemane  (see  this  word). 
Three  roads  led  from  Bethany  to 
Jerusalem  over  the  Mount  of  Ol- 
ives. It  was  probably  over  the 
southernmost  of  these  that  Jesus 
entered  the  city  in  his  triumphal 
entry.    (11:1;  13:3;  14:26.) 

Myrrh.  An  aromatic  gum  that 
exudes  from  a  shrubby  tree  which 
grows  in  Africa;  used  as  a  per- 
fume, a  medicine,  and  in  the 
preparation  of  a  body  for  the 
grave.    (15:23.) 

Nazareth.  A  city  just  north  of 
the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  amid  the 
h.lls  of  Galilee,  still  inhabited  by 
7,000  or  8,000  people,  and  known 
as  El-Nasira.  The  town  was  not 
en  any  of  the  great  roads  of  Pal- 
estine, but  the  hills  about  com- 
manded a  wide  and  beautiful 
view,  including  the  plain  of  Es- 
draelon, which  with  its  surround- 
ing hills  was  the  scene  of  much 
Old  Testament  history,  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea  with  its  ships,  ard 
the  roads  both  north  and  south  of 
tne  city,  along  which  passed  cara- 
vans of  trade,  Roman  armies,  and 
many  travelers.    (1:9,  24;  10:47.) 

Offend.  To  cause  to  fall  into 
error  or  sin.  To  be  offended  is  to 
fall  into  error  or  sin.  (4:17;  6:3; 
9:42,43,45,47;  14:27,29.) 

Ointment.  Oil  used  for  an- 
ointing, usually  perfumed.     (14: 

3,  4,  5.) 

Palsy.  Paralysis.  A  disease 
which  rendered  one  wholly  or 
partially  unable  to  move.     (2:3, 

4,  5,  9,  10.) 


Parables.  A  parable  is  a  figure 
of  speech  in  which  commonly  ob- 
served facts,  or  conceivable  ex- 
periences, are  used  to  teach  or 
illustrate  religious  truths.  (4 :  13, 
i-O,  34;  7:17;  12:12;  13:23.) 

Passover.  One  of  the  princi- 
pal Jewish  feasts,  celebrated  an- 
nually in  the  spring  (March  or 
April)  in  commemoration  of  the 
deliverance  of  the  people  out  of 
Egypt  under  Moses.  In  New  Tes- 
tament times  it  was  celebrated  in 
Jerusalem,  people  coming  from 
all  parts  of  Palestine,  and  even 
from  more  distant  lands.  The 
lamb,  itself  called  passover,  was 
slain  in  the  temple  by  the  priests,* 
but  thesupper  was  eaten  at  night, 
each  family  in  its  own  lodging. 
The  following  is  the  probable 
order  of  ceremonies :  (1)  blessing 
of  the  first  cup  of  wine ;  (2)  hand- 
washing and  prayer;  (3)  bitter- 
herbs,  dipped  in  a  mixture  of 
fruit  and  vinegar,  and  eaten;  (4) 
second  cup,  in  connection  with 
whi-h  the  father  answers  his 
son's  question  about  the  meaning 
of  the  feast;  (5)  singing  of  Pss. 
113, 114,  called  (the  first  part  of) 
the  Hallel;  (6)  sop  (a  bit  of  the 
paschal  lamb  and  bitter  herb  in 
bread)  dipped  in  vinegar  and 
eaten;  (7)  paschal  lamb  eaten; 
(8)  eating  a  piece  of  unleavened 
bread;  (9)  third  cup  of  wine;  (10) 
fourth  cup;  (11)  singing  of  Ps. 
115-118,  the  blessing  in  song.  The 
Fea'^t  of  Unleavened  Bread  ex- 
tended through  the  six  days  fol- 
lowing the  passover  (Lev.  23:5, 
6:  Deut.  16:8),  and  Mark  14:12 
even  reads  as  if  the  day  on  which 
the  passover  Iamb  was  killed  was 
included  in  the  days  of  unleav- 
ened bread.  It  was  forbidden  to 
eat  leavened  bread  with  the  pass- 
over,  or  even  to  have  any  in  the 
house  during  the  days  of  the  feast 
(Exod.  13:7;  Deut.  16:1-8).  (14:1, 
12,14,16.) 

Penny,  Thewordso  translated 
refers  to  the  Roman  denarius, 
worth  about  17  cents  (12 :  15 ;  14 : 5). 
See  next  word. 

Pennyworth.  What  can  be 
bought  for  a  denarius,  which  was 
about  a  day's  wages  of  a  laborer ; 
equivalent  to  17  cents  in  American 
money,  but  of   course  of  much 


Dictionary 


245 


greater  purchasing  power  than 
that  sum  with  us,  more  nearly  of 
the  value  of  a  dollar.     (6 :  37. ) 

Perea,  The  southern  part  of 
the  land  east  of  the  Jordan.  In 
the  division  of  the  kingdom  of 
Herod  the  Great  after  his  death, 
Perea  and  Galilee  fell  to  Herod 
Antipas,  who  received  the  title  of 
tetrarch. 

Pharisees.  A  society  or  sect 
of  the  Jews,  which  arose  in  tlie 
second  century  before  Christ  was 
born.  The  primary  object  of  the 
society  was  to  keep  Israel  sepa- 
rate ("Pharisee"  means  "sepa- 
ratist") from  the  surrounding 
heathenism  and  its  own  members 
from  everything  defiling.  To  this 
end  they  were  very  strict  in  ob- 
serving the  Mosaic  law  as  their 
scribes  interpreted  it, and  the  oral 
law  of  the  scribes  known  as  the 
"tradition  of  the  elders."  They 
were  the  most  influential  portion 
of  the  nation  religiously,  and 
were  looked  up  to  as  such  even 
by  those  who  did  not  observe  all 
their  customs.  Unhappily  they 
were  prone  to  despise  others  and 
regard  themselves  alone  as  "the 
righteous."  (2:16,  18,  24;  3:6; 
7:1,3,5;  8:11,15;  10:2;  12:13.) 

Pilate.  A  Roman  who  was  ap- 
pointed procurator  (governor)  of 
the  Roman  province  of  Judea, 
which  included  not  the  whole  of 
Palestine,  but  Judea  proper,  Sa- 
maria, and  Idumea,  in  the  year 
26  A.  D.,  and  held  office  for  ten 
years,  thus  covering  the  period 
of  the  public  ministry  of  John 
the  Baptist  and  Jesus.  "While 
Jesus  was  in  Galilee  he  was  un- 
der the  jurisdiction  of  Herod  An- 
tipas, but  passed  under  that  of 
Pilate  when  he  came  to  Jerusa- 
lem. (15 : 1,  2,  4,  5,  9, 12, 14, 15,  44.) 
Pretorium.  A  name  applied 
to  the  palace  of  the  governor  of 
a  Roman  province.    (15 :  16.) 

Preparation.  As  the  narne  of 
a  day  of  the  week,  "Preparation" 
was  applied  by  the  Jews  to  Fri- 
day, because  on  that  day  pious 
Jews  made  ready  for  the  sabbath, 
which  they  observed  on  the  day 
we  call  Saturday.     (15:42.) 

Publican.  A  collector  of  cus- 
toms.   Galilee  was  in  the  time  of 


Jesus  ruled  by  Herod  Antipas, 
subject  to  the  general  control  of 
the  Romans.  Herod's  income 
was  probably  derived  largely 
from  customs,  i.  e.,  taxes  paid  on 
goods  carried  into  or  out  of  the 
country.  The  privilege  of  col- 
lecting these  customs  was  sold  to 
contractors,  who  were  to  turn 
over  a  certain  sum  to  Herod,  and 
must  collect  enough  more  to  pay 
themselves.  These  contractors  in 
turn  sold  to  various  persons  the 
right  of  collection  in  specific 
places.  As  these  men,  too,  had 
to  collect  more  than  they  paid  in 
order  to  get  their  own  pay,  the 
system  naturally  led  to  extortion. 
CSee  John's  words  to  the  publi- 
cans, Luke  3: 13.)  This  extortion, 
as  well  as  the  fact  that  the  publi- 
cans, represented  the  government 
of  Rome  (in  Galilee  indirectly, 
since  Herod  Antipas  was  really 
subject  to  Rome;  in  Judea  di- 
rect'y,  the  Roman  procurator 
having  the  matter  in  charge),  to 
which  many  of  the  Jews  felt  it  a 
disgrace  to  be  subject,  made  the 
publicans  hated  and  despised. 
(2:15,16.) 

Rabbi.  A  title  by  which  the 
Jews  addressed  their  religious 
teachers.  The  word  is  Hebrew 
and  means  "my  great  one."  (9:5; 
11:21;  14:45.) 

Rabboni.  An  Aramaic  word 
nearly  equivalent  to  rabbi,  and 
meaning  ^'my  master."     (10 :  51.) 

Remisssion  of  sins.  For- 
giveness of  sins,  i.  e.,  release  of 
the  sinner  from  punishment,  and 
restor^ion  to  God's  favor.  (1:4.) 
Repentance.  Change  of  mind, 
a  turning  away  from  a  former 
sinful  life  and  turning  to  God  in 
a  spirit  of  love  and  obedience. 
(1:4.) 

Resurrection.  Rising  from 
the  dead.  Once  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment (Heb.  11 :  35)  the  word  is 
used  of  the  restoration  to  life  of 
certain  Old  Testament  persons. 
But  aside  from  this  passage  it  is 
used  of  the  rising  of  Jesus  from 
the  tomb  as  an  accomplished 
fact,  or  of  the  future  rising  of 
the  dead.     (12:18,23.) 

Sabbath.  The  seventh  day  of 
the   week,   reckoned    from    sun 


246     The  Gospel  according  to  Maek 


sct^  Friday  to  sunset  Saturday, 
waich  by  the  law  of  Moses  (Exod. 
20:8-11;  31:15)  was  sacredly  de- 
voted to  rest  from  every  kind 
of  labor.  Lator  Jewish  custom 
made  it  also  a  day  of  public  wor- 
ship in  the  synagogue  (see,  for 
example,  Mark  1:21;  Luke  4: 16). 
In  the  days  of  Jesus  the  scribes 
of  the  Pharisees  insisted  upon  so 
strict  an  abstinence  from  labor, 
and  upon  the  observance  of  so 
many  minute  rules  concerning 
what  could,  and  what  could  not, 
be  lawfully  done  on  the  sabbath, 
as  to  make  the  day  a  burden 
rather  than  a  relief.  To  carry 
any  burden  on  the  sabbath  day 
was  forbidden  (John  5:10;  the 
bed  in  this  case  was  probably 
only  a  light  mattress),  or  to 
pluck  heads  of  grain  and  rub 
them  in  the  hand,  this  being  re- 
garded as  including  reaping, 
threshing,  and  winnowing  (Mark 
2:23,  24),  or  to  do  anything  for 
the  relief  of  the  sick  that  could 
possibly  be  delayed  till  the  sab- 
bath was  past  (Luke  13:10-14; 
Mark  3:1-6).  With  these  inter- 
pretations of  the  will  of  God  re- 
specting the  sabbath  Jesus  did 
not  agree,  teaching  instead  that 
the  sabbath  was  made  for  man 
(Mark  2:27,  28)  and  that  it  was 
pleasing  to  God  that  it  be  used 
for  doing  deeds  of  kindness  to 
one's  feWow-men.  (2:27,  28;  3:2, 
4;  6:2;  15:42;  16:1.) 

Sadducees.  A  party  among 
the  Jews,  who  in  many  things 
were  opposed  to  the  Pharisees, 
but  fundamentally  in  thig  that, 
while  the  aims  and  ideals  of  the 
Pharisees  were  religious,  those 
of  the  Sadducees  were  political. 
The  high-priests,  who  since  the 
days  of  the  Hasmonean  princes 
(second  century  B.  C.)  had  been 
rulers  as  well  as  priests,  and 
whose  interest  in  religion  was  al- 
most wholly  on  the  formal  side 
of  the  temple  worship,  were 
mostly  Sadducees,  and  the  party 
represented  the  aristocracy  of 
the  high-priests  and  ruling  class, 
as  against  the  Pharisees  who 
stood  for  orthodoxy  in  religious 
thought  and  strictness  in  reli- 
gious life.  The  Sadducees  re- 
fused to  be   bound  by  the  oral 


"tradition  of  the  elders,"  holding 
that  only  the  written  law  of 
Moses  was  binding,  and  rejected 
the  belief,  which  the  Pharisees 
held,  in  the  existence  of  angels, 
spirits,  and  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead.    (12:18.) 

Sanhedrin.  A  council  or  court 
of  the  Jews,  which,  originating 
at  an  unknown  time,  but  proba- 
bly in  a  period  when  the  Jews 
had  a  measure  of  independence, 
continued  to  exist  and  to  exer- 
cise a  certain  degree  of  author- 
ity under  the  Herods  and  the 
Roipans.  It  is  said  to  have 
contained  seventy-one  members. 
These  were  called  "elders,"  and 
were  largely  chief-priests  and 
scribes.  In  the  time  of  Jesus  the 
high-priest  was  president  of  the 
Sanhedrin,  and  the^  Sadducean 
influence  predominated,  though 
both  Pharisees  and  Sadducees 
were  included  in  the  member- 
ship. As  a  court  the  Sanhedrin 
was  practically  t  he  supreme  court 
of  the  nation,  and  its  decisions 
were  binding  on  all  Jews.  But  at 
just  about  the  time  of  Jesus'  pub- 
lic ministry  the  Roman  authori- 
ties had  forbidden  them  to  exe- 
cute a  death  sentence  without 
the  consent  and  approval  of  the 
Roman  governor  (procurator)  of 
Judea.  Thus,  though  the  Sanhe- 
drin could  try  Jesus,  they  could 
not  put  him  to  death  till  Pilate 
had  approved  their  sentence. 
(13:9;  14:55;  15:1.) 

Satan.  The  evil  spirit,  called 
also  the  devil  (Matt.  4:8, 10),  who 
is  spoken  of  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  tempting  men  to  sin 
(Matt.  4:1,  10),  and  hindering 
them  in  their  plans  for  good 
(1  Thess.  2:18).  The  word  itself 
means  "adversary,"  as  the  word 
"devil"  means  "slanderer."  Cf. 
"Beelzebub"  and  "Devil."  (1:13; 
3:23,26;  4:15;  8:33.) 

Scribes.  Professional  teachers 
of  the  Jewish  law.  Most  of  them 
belonged  to  the  society  of  the 
Pharisees,  and  accordingly  laid 
great  emphasis,  in  their  teach- 
ing, on  the  minute  requirements 
of  the  oral  law.  See  unaer  "Phari- 
sees." (1:22;  2:6,16;  3:22;  7:1,5; 
8:31  ;  9: 11, 14;  10: 33;  11: 18, 27;  12: 
28,  32,  35,  38;  14:1,  43,  53;  15:1,31.) 


DiCTIONAKY 


247 


Sea  of  Galilee.  See  "Galilee, 
Sea  of." 

Shewbread,  The  regulations 
of  the  tabernacle  and  of  the  tem- 
ple required  that  once  a  week  on 
the  sabbath  two  rows  of  six  loaves 
should  be  placed  on  the  table  in 
the  holy  place,  thus  "before  Je- 
hovah." The  loaves  which  were 
removed  when  new  ones  were  pro- 
vided were  eaten  by  the  priests, 
who  alone  were  permitted  to  eat 
them.  (See  Lev.  24:5-9;  Exod. 
25:30;  1  Sam.  21:4-6.)     (2:26.) 

Sidon.  An  ancient  city  of 
Phoenicia  on  the  Mediterranean 
coast  (see  the  map),  about 
twenty-five  miles  north  of  Tyre 
and  sixty  miles  or  more  from  the 
Sea  of  Galilee.  The  inhabitants 
were,  of  course,  gentiles.  The 
city  is  spoken  of  in  Egyptian  re- 
cords as  early  as  1500  B.  C. ;  in  the 
Old  Testament  (Gen.  10:19,  etc.), 
and  by  Homer  in  the  Iliad  and 
Odyssey.    (3:8;  7:24,31.) 

Sign.  A  material  proof  of  a 
spiritual  mission ;  something 
presented  to  the  senses  that 
proves  the  existence  of  some- 
thing else,  not  presented  to  the 
senses.    (8:11, 12;  13:4.) 

Sin.  Conduct  whether  of 
thought  or  outward  action,  that 
does  not  conform  to  God's  right- 
eous will,  the  standard  that  he 
hasset  for  men.  The  word  is  used 
in  this  Gospel  in  1 : 4,  5 ;  2 : 5,  7,  9, 
10 ;  3 :  28,  29 ;  but  sin  is  spoken  of 
without  the  use  of  the  word  in 
other  passages,  such  as  7:6-8,  20- 
23;  10:21,22;  12:15;  16:16. 

Son  of  David.  Some  of  the 
Old  Testament  passages  which 
express,  or  on  which  were  based, 
the  messianic  hope  of  the  Jews 
(see  "  Christ "  in  this  dictionary) 
predict  that  the  deliverer  of 
Israel  shall  be  a  son  of  David 
(see2Sam.7:14;  Jer.23:5;  33:15). 
From  this  fact  "theSon  of  David  " 
came  to  be  a  recognized  title  of 
the  expected  Messiah.  Thus  in 
a  ijsalm  written  by  a  Pharisee 
about  sixty  years  before  Jesus 
was  born  the  psalmist  prays: 
"Behold,  O  Lord,  and  faise  up 
unto  them  their  King,  the  Son  of 
David,  in  the  time  which  thou,  O 
God,  knowest,  that  he  may  reign 


over  Israel,  thy  servant."    (10:47; 
12:35.) 

Son  of  God.  This  expression 
is  used  both  in  the  Old  Testament 
and  in  the  New  to  describe  a  per- 
son or  a  people  as  sustaining 
some  one  or  more  of  the  relations 
which  a  son  sustains  to  a  father. 
In  the  gospel  of  Mark  it  is  ap- 
plied only  to  Jesus,  and  describes 
him  either  as  the  special  object 
of  God's  approving  love,  or  as 
the  one  who  is  God's  representa- 
tive to  men,  or,  with  a  union  of 
both  these  ideas,  God's  beloved 
whom  he  made  his  representative 
to  men  (see  1:1,  11;  3:11;  9:7; 
14:61;  and  especially  12:6).  In 
designating  Jesus  as  God's  rep- 
resentative, it  approaches  the 
meaning  of  "Christ;"  yet  the 
latter  term  is  kingly;  "Son  of 
God "  is  filial.  On  the  excep- 
tional usage  in  15:39  see  the 
notes  on  that  passage.  (1:1,11; 
3:11;  9:7;  12:6;  14:61.) 

Son  of  Man.  A  title  by  which 
Jesus  often  spoke  of  himself,  but 
which  others  never  seem  to  have 
used  in  addressing  him.  By  it  he 
probably  expressed  his  own  con- 
sciousness of  being  in  the  full 
sense  of  the  word  man,  all  that 
God  intended  man  to  be,  doing 
those  things  and  suffering  those 
things  which  it  is  the  part  of  man 
to  do_  and  to  suffer.  With  this 
consciousness  was  doubtless  con« 
nected  his  recognition  of  himself 
as  Messiah;  but  "Son  of  Man" 
was  probably  not  a  recognized 
equivalent  of  Messiah.  (2 :  10,  28 ; 
3:31,  38;  9:9,  12,  31;  10:33,45;  13: 
26;  14:21,41,  62.) 

Sons  of  the  bridecliamber. 
Those  special  friends  of  the 
bridegroom  whose  office  it  was 
to  see  that  the  wedding  passed 
oft"  pleasantly.    (2:19.) 

Spikenard.  A  kind  of  fragrant 
oil  or  ointment  derived  from  an 
East  Indian  plant,  and  highly 
prized  among  the  ancients.  (14:3). 

Stumble.  To  fall  away  from 
the  right  path  through  encoun- 
tering an  obstacle;  to  fall  into 
sin.  (4:17;  6:13;  9:42,  43,  45,  47; 
14:27,29.) 

Synagogue.  The  Jewish  place 
of  worship  in  all  cities  and  villages 


248     The  Gospel  according  to  Mark 


in  which  Jews  were  numerous. 
It  should  be  clearly  distinguished 
from  the  temple,  which  was  lo- 
cated in  Jerusalem.  The  wor- 
ship of  the  synagogue  included 
no  sacrifices  or  offering  of  in- 
cense, but  consisted  of  prayers, 
reading  of  Scripture,  and  often  a 
sermon.  The  service  was  in 
charge  of  the  "  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue" (Luke  13:14),  or  of  the 
rulers  (Mark  1:22;  Acts  13:15), 
who,  however,  called  upon  others 
to  take  the  various  parts  in  the 
service,  viz.,  to  recite  the  prayers, 
to  read  the  Law  and  the  Prophets, 
and  to  make  an  address  or  ser- 
mon. (See  especially  the  ac- 
counts in  Luke  4 :  16-22  and  Acts 
13:14-16.)     (1:21,39;  12:39;  13:9.) 

Syrophoenician.  A  descend- 
ant of  the  Phoenicians  of  Syria, 
as  distinguished  from  those  or 
Africa.    (7:26.) 

Temple.  The  splendid  build- 
ing in  Jerusalem  which  was  the 
center  of  Jewish  worship,  where 
all  sacrifices  were  offered,  and 
where  priests  were  continually  in 
attendance,  performing  the  rites 
and  ceremonies  required  by  the 
Levitical  law.  It  was  quite  dis- 
tinct from  the  synagogues,  of 
which  there  were  many,  at  least 
one  in  almost  every  town,  and 
which  were  places,  not  for  the 
offering  of  sacrifices  and  the 
burning  of  incense,  but  for  the. 
reading  of  Scripture  and  the  ex- 
position of  the  law.  The  temple 
of  Jesus'  day  was  not  that  built 
by  Solomon,  nor  that  rebuilt  by 
Zerubbabel,  but  a  restoration 
and  enlargement  of  the  older 
building  begun  in  the  reign  of 
Herod  the  Great.  (11:  11,  15,  16, 
27;  12:35;  13:13;  14:49,  58;  15:29, 
38.) 

Tomb.  The  Jews  did  not  burn 
the  bodies  of  the  dead  (save  in 
the  case  of  exceptional  criminals, 
Lev.  20:14),  but  buried  them. 
Though  many  must  have  been 
buried  in  graves  dug  in  the 
ground  (see  Luke  11:44),  yet  the 
tombs  spoken  of  in  the  gospels 
are  almost  all  either  in  a  cave 
(John  11: 38),  or  cut  in  the  rock. 


(5:2,  3,  5;  6:29;  15:46;  16:2,  3,  5 

8.) 

Tradition     of    the    elders. 

The  body  of  teachings  and  us- 
ages that  had  gradually  grown 
up  among  the  Pharisees.  See 
also  under  "Pharisees."  (7:3, 
5;  c/.  7:5,  8,  9.) 

Transfigured.  Changed  in 
appearance.    (9:2.) 

Tyre.  An  ancient  city  of 
Phoenicia  on  the  Mediterranean 
coast,  often  mentioned  in  the  Old 
Testament.  Its  inhabitants  were, 
of  course,  gentiles.  It  was  fa- 
mous in  ancient  time  for  the 
manufacture  of  glass,  and  of  cer- 
tain crimson  and  purple  dyes, 
and  for  its  maritime  commerce. 
(3:8;  7:24,  .31.) 

Unbelief.  Lack  of  trust  orcon- 
fidence.  In  the  Gospel  of  Mark 
the  word  refers  to  the  refusal  of 
Jesus'  countrymen  to  recognize 
him  for  what  he  was,  and  to  trust 
in  him  (6:6),  to  the  lack  of  com- 
plete confidence  in  Jesus'  power 
to  render  needed  help  (9:24),  and 
to  the  slowness  of  the  disciples  to 
accept  the  testimony  that  Jesus 
,  had  risen  from  the  dead.  See 
also  "Faith." 

Unleavened  bread.  Bread 
made  without  yeast.  The  law 
required  that  no  other  kind 
should  be  used  during  the 
Feast  of  the  Passover  and  of 
Unleavened  Bread.  (14:1,  12.) 
See  "Passover"  in  this  dictionary. 

Wallet.  A  small  leather  sack 
for  possessions.    (6:8.) 

Watch  of  the  night.  The 
Romans  divided  the  night  into 
four  watches  of  about  three  hours 
each:  from  6  to  9,  from  9  to  12, 
from  12  to  3,  from  3  to  6.  The 
Jews  in  earlier  times  reckoned 
three  watches,  but  in  the  New 
Testament  period  followed  the 
Romans  in  making  four.    (6 :  48.) 

Wilderness.  An  uninhabited 
region  of  country.    (1 : 3,  4, 12, 13.) 

Wine-skins.  Bottles  or  sacks 
made  of  the  skins  of  animals  and 
used  to  hold  wine  and  other 
liquids.    (2:22.) 


OF  Tl 

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NOV  21  '934 


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REC'D  LD 


NOV    11957 


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LD  21-100m-7,'33 


YB  27652 


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